Nexus of Polarity
by Captain Baba
Summary: At the end of their third year, the Golden Trio end up sitting with a few Slytherins for a portion of the trip back to London. How will the events that unfold be affected by this seemingly small change? Book 1 of the Nexus of Polarity Series
1. Chapter 1 - The Decisive Meeting

" _Text"_ – Thoughts

" **Text"** – Spellcast

 _A meeting occurs, which changes what is to come drastically. Breaks from canon from the end of third year with changes occurring from base plot due to character interactions' changes. Some OOC-ness will occur due to how different characters interact with others. Relationships and characters will develop over time, hopefully in a natural enough way._

 _Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter; JK Rowling does._

* * *

 _ **Prologue**_

 _Date: Unknown_

 _Location: Unknown_

The Past. The Present. The Future. All three together make up the intermittently fickle and stalwart concept of time. Sometimes, time is so resolute that no amount of will can prevent or allow an occurrence from happening. Sometimes, it is so volatile that the simplest of matters can create extreme changes in what is to come. For instance, in one universe, a ball was not dropped and the world went about as it would have. Harry Potter went on to tie with Cedric Diggory in the eventful Triwizard Tournament before the latter was swiftly cut down by Peter Pettigrew. Harry later becomes one of the men spearheading the campaign against Thomas Marvolo Riddle, or more commonly known as Lord Voldemort and successfully defeated the dark wizard, thus returning magical Britain to peace.

However, in another world, the ball was dropped. A whole slew of events would take place, some of which so cataclysmic that it would shake not just magical Britain but the entire world of magic. Worlds would collide, people would die and many lives would be forevermore changed. All because of a single ball.

Though, in all fairness, the ball that fell was not all that significant. A red Gobstone, if you must know, part of a expensive 'limited-edition' set bought by a certain pure-blooded witch's doting parents for her 12th birthday. In one world, the girl didn't drop her gobstone and the familiar events illustrated in the _Harry Potter_ books played out as they did. In this one, she did.

As we watch the girl's unwitting struggle to reclaim her lost gobstone, it must be remembered that the girl in question is by no means the main reason why destiny took a different course. That would be because of her sister, her sister's best friend and the person she ran into while chasing after her toy.

And thus, the die is cast.

* * *

 _ **Chapter 1: The Decisive Meeting**_

 _Date: Friday, June 24_ _th_ _1994_

 _Location: Hogwarts Express_

Astoria Mavis Greengrass ran through the corridor of the Hogwarts Express, chasing after the small, marble sized gobstone that she had accidentally dropped from her set when she was showing it off to Celestina Prewitt from Ravenclaw. She mentally cursed her own clumsiness. Celestina had stopped by the compartment Astoria and her sister had been in to ask about Astoria's gobstones. Much like many other children at that age, Astoria beamed at a change to show off, smirking as she usually did when she showed the Ravenclaw the gobstones. However, Astoria accidentally bumped her arm against the side of the compartment she had been in, which had led her to drop the ball. After a few bounces, the red Gobstone began rolling away at a surprisingly fast speed, thus prompting the auburn-haired girl to quickly run after it, the smirk on her face disappearing.

In contrast with many of the older students that were aboard the train, Astoria was extremely nimble and spry, thus allowing her to easily weave between the various obstacles in her path. Fully concentrated on the matter at hand, Astoria did not bother to greet or taunt anyone, even the many "loser lions" that littered the corridor. As she approached her quickly rolling target, Astoria sped up, her head angled downwards to catch her prize but was suddenly stopped as she crashed headlong into a third year Gryffindor's cloak.

Ronald Bilius Weasley groaned he felt something crash into him at a great speed, tackling into his left leg and toppling him over.

"Bloody Hell!" he cried. Ron gave a small wince as he grabbed his recently-mended left leg, a painful reminder of the most recent adventure he had with his best friends, Harry Potter and Hermione Granger. Ron had drawn the "short" end of the stick on that adventure, as he not only got his leg fractured in three parts during the course of the adventure but also missed out on the time travelling escapade that Harry and Hermione went on to save Harry's long lost godfather and the hippogriff Buckbeak ... not that any of that could be admitted to anyone.

Feeling somewhat irritated, Ron sat up and looked at the small brown haired blur that had tackled him into the floor. His eyes travelled down from her unrecognized face as they narrowed when they reached the green and silver tie that hung snugly on her neck. Ron's overall irritation at his situation got the better of him as he gave the girl a piercing glare and he growled softly

"Slytherin!"

Astoria looked at the red headed boy she just crashed into, watching as his eyes morphed from being dazed, to confusion and finally into rage. The rage displayed was quite phenomenal to Astoria, who was used to being treated respectfully by the members of her house due to her heritage. This older Gryffindor's anger was almost comparable to her father's ire when the man had deduced that Astoria had broken his best broom on night a few years ago, an event that had ended with Astoria crying and her mother to reprimand her father for being so harsh. The incident lit up an idea in Astoria's mind and she trembled as she spoke softly, allowing a few tears to well up in her eyes.

"Sorry Mr. Gryffindor."

Ron's glare paused as he noticed how shaken the girl in front of him was. His confusion gave way to a sudden epiphany, realizing that she was crying because of his glare. He realized that his hate for Slytherin house had caused him to make a young girl cry.

" _Oh bollocks!_ " he thought as his mind began to race. " _Hermione's gonna kill me for this!_ "

The muggle-born bookworm had on many occasions chastised Ron for his unfounded hatred of all Slytherins, citing that he shouldn't generalize that _all_ Slytherins were evil. Of course, Ron just laughed it off, stating that their experiences with Draco Malfoy were good enough indication of his views. However, as he looked at the whimpering first-year in front of him and for the first time in his life, his normally unshakable views on the House of Snakes wavered. Sucking up his pride, Ron decided that he would try to amend the situation.

"Err… Sorry about that" he started. "What's your name, miss?"

Astoria looked up at Ron and noticed his conflicted expression. She inwardly smirked as she realized that she had gotten an advantage over him.

"Astoria, Astoria Greengrass" she said with a sniffle, wiping away a few of the tears that had migrated down her cheek.

My name is Ron, Ron Weasley, third year Gryffindor" answered Ron, somewhat proudly. He quickly recognized Astoria's surname, recalling that he had a female classmate in his year who had the same last name. "Do you happen to have a sister in my year? I think I remember a snake who has the same last name as you in my year."

Astoria nodded affirmatively as she walked over to her fallen gobstone and asked to be brought back to her sister. Ron grumbled for a while but reluctantly agreed to the request and asked the young Slytherin to lead the way. Unseen to him, a small smile was hidden on Astoria's face.

* * *

Daphne Queenie Greengrass sat in her compartment in the Hogwarts express, arms neatly folded at her lap as she gazed out the window to the corridor of the carriage. Somewhat bored, she drew her wand.

 _ **"**_ **Tempus** _ **"**_ she cast, allowing a silvery-blue mist to tell her the time. She gave a soft sigh, as she listened as her best friend Tracey Davis prattled about some inane topic.

Daphne was the heiress presumptive of the Noble and Ancient House of Greengrass, a family of pure-blooded wizards and witches who could trace their ancestry back almost five hundred years. As an heiress of such a distinguished family, Daphne held herself to extremely high standards at all times, a facet of herself that permeated into her seated posture. Her shoulder length straight golden blonde hair hung loosely, framing her heart shaped face. Her eyes were big and round with the color of milk chocolate. Her nose was aquiline and her lips a soft pink, giving an overall air of grace and beauty.

Daphne flicked her gaze at the only other person in her compartment. Theodore Tyrion "Theo" Nott was a person that could simply be described as weedy. His short, dark hair was perpetually well combed as the young heir to the Noble House of Nott carried a tendency to comb his hair when bored or nervous. His skin was slightly darker than Daphne's, a trait gained from hours spent in the sun over the years, either playing Quidditch with the children of his father's 'friends' or otherwise working. As he tended to keep quiet and distant from most others, Theo tended to be overlooked by the majority of people. On the other hand, Daphne felt a sort of kinship with Theodore.

The pair had met almost four years ago during an event hosted by her father to allow her to get acquainted with some of the probable Slytherins in her year group, much to Daphne's unwillingness. At that time, she had already met Pansy Parkinson, a fellow heiress presumptive of a Noble and Ancient House, and had not enjoyed the encounter. After some effort, including bribing Astoria to provide her with a distraction, Daphne had found herself on the second floor of her manor when she had encountered Theo wandering around aimlessly.

Their first words had been confrontational as Daphne had been irritated at not being able to hang out with her long-time best friend Tracey (because of her father's orders) and Theo had been defensive about not wanting to interact with 'Death Eater wannabes', as he had so eloquently put it back then. From that moment, Daphne had found something in common with the Nott heir, having to interact with those she disliked simply because of political or social reasons.

Nowadays, Theo had decided to stay relatively roguish, straying from being close friends with anyone at all, though he did spend some time with Daphne and Tracey once in awhile.

The boy in question sat rather lazily on the opposite side of the compartment from Daphne and Tracey, as he calmly conversed with the excitable Tracey on the whom the best Quidditch players were. However, it was obvious, even to the casual observer, that young Theodore's mind was elsewhere.

"TED, listen!" an irritated Tracey whined, fed up with her friend's distant attitude. Theo jerked out of his stupor. "I was listening, Tracey, please and stop calling me Ted" he protested.

Before he could add any more to his stance, Daphne interjected. "Don't bother, Trace, his mind is obviously still on her" she drawled in a knowing tone, smirking as Theodore blushed mildly and was about to retort when there was a knock on the compartment door.

* * *

Ron and Astoria had walked past many compartments as they journeyed to find where Daphne and the others were sitting. Half-way through their journey, the train had started moving, which had caused Ron to almost fall over in surprise.

"Don't moan so much Weasley, girls don't like moany boys."

And of course, Astoria had regained her snarky nature, a fact that irritated Ron to no end. He didn't really know what to do with the young witch he had unwittingly gained as a temporary companion. What he did want to do was get back to Harry and Hermione but how would he explain Astoria's presence?

Ron was broken out of his thoughts when he saw a slightly familiar mop of golden blonde hair. He stopped and knocked on the door.

On the other side, Daphne suddenly sat up rigidly. Her façade returned to her face as she wondered who was at the door. Usually, Astoria would just bound right into the compartment without a care for social etiquette or manners and so Daphne decided to go the cautious route and readied herself.

"You may enter," Daphne called, with a regal tone.

Ron slid open the door and entered the compartment. Inside, he took note of the two people sitting at the doorway of the compartment. Daphne looked at him pointedly, her face unreadable to the redheaded Gryffindor. On the other hand, Theodore didn't bother to mask his confusion. Ron then looked at the last person in the room who gave him a sweet smile. He barely recognized her, only recalling that she was a person in his year who he probably recognized from one or two classes. Ron unconsciously began gazing at her, taking note of how her soft chestnut colored hair, warm hazel eyes and smile made her look … cute?

" _NO! She is a snake! How can she be cute? It's probably some sort of compulsion charm"_

Ron began nodding fervently to himself before he was once again broken out of his thoughts, this time by Theo coughing.

"Not that we don't enjoy..." Theodore paused, smirking at his own words, "your company but what are you doing here Weasley?"

Ron stepped back, embarrassed at mentally ran through the formal pure-blood greeting "rituals" that his mother had once drilled into his head long ago.

"Pardon me, Mister Theodore, Heir Apparent of the Noble House of Nott" Ron said with a small bow. He wheeled around to Daphne and began again "Miss Daphne, Heiress Presumptive of the Noble and –"

"Cease the formalities Weasley, why are you present?" Daphne interjected. Her face masked any visible emotion, though her tone clearly showed her irritation with the beginnings of the redhead's speech. Ron was about to begin speaking again before he was interrupted once again.

"Oh c'mon Daph, don't you want to hear Weasley call you by your whole formal title? He's already doing so well, why not let him finish?"

Ron looked up and saw Tracey, giving him a small smirk. Daphne looked disapprovingly at her friend before morphing her face back into the emotionless façade that she had worn since the Gryffindor had arrived. Caught between the two Slytherin's wishes Ron went silent, unsure of what to do.

"Well, as you say _formally_ speaking, I am the heiress presumptive of a Noble _and Ancient_ house, so I outrank all of you" Daphne said, in an overly-cultured manner. "Go on Weasley."

Ron grimaced at the blonde's attitude. He was about to retort when Astoria decided to pop her head into the compartment from behind Ron, pushing the older boy aside.

"Daphne!" Astoria rushed towards her sister as she glomped her "Ronnie here was just escorting me back from collecting my gobstone." Astoria gushed "He was such a gentleman; we should invite him to sit here with us for now!" Inwardly, Astoria was laughing at what she had been able to do. The horrified look on Ron's face almost made her dropping the gobstone worth it.

"NO… err…" Ron stammered. "Uhh… Sorry sir, madams but I must –"

"What did I say about formalities Weasley?" Daphne interrupted impatiently, her blonde hair swishing behind her.

"I thought all you pure-blooded snakes only wanted to be talked to in that way" Ron grumbled.

"And that's where you're wrong, Weasley. Goes to show how much you know about us" Daphne retorted. "I mean really, the only one of us who you interact with is Draco and we all know what he's like." Ron looked surprised, as he filed that thought away into his memory.

"Don't care, I don't want to sit near you snakes" he declared, turning around. He was one foot out of the door when Tracey called.

"Come now, Ron, just sit here for a while. If you don't Tori's gonna just bug you until you come back here anyways. Might as well just sit here for a bit of time" she spoke, giving Ron a small but sweet smile.

Ron started, an action that went unnoticed by everyone bar Tracey, as he sighed and acquiesced to Astoria's demands. He glumly walked back into the carriage and sat next as far away from the Slytherins as he could before turning his head to face the window.

 _"This cannot get any worse..."_ he thought.

* * *

Harry and Hermione were walking briskly through the Hogwarts Express. Since Ron had been the first onto the train, he was supposed to find an empty compartment for the three of them to sit in. Strangely however, they couldn't find him anywhere on the train.

"Ok, I know he isn't always the most reliable person around but Ron won't let us down like this … right?" asked Hermione, glancing at the cabin next to her. Harry looked indignantly at his female friend.

"C'mon Mione, he's my best mate, he hasn't let us down before" Harry replied. "Still, you're right, where is he?" They continued walking until Hermione abruptly stopped, causing Harry to crash into her.

"Hey what gives, Mione –" Harry started, before he looked into the compartment, his eyes widening. Inside, they saw Ron, sitting awkwardly next to a first year Slytherin whom neither of them recognized. What was equally surprised them was the rest of his company: Daphne Greengrass, Tracey Davis and Theodore Nott.

A pause.

"Mione?"

"Yeah?"

"Is there a spell on the window? Or a potion? I think I see Ron sitting in the same compartment as a bunch of Slytherins."

Hermione looked inside the compartment as her eyes narrowed. Her look turned venomous, though her expression went unnoticed by Harry as she quickly replied: "Uh huh, I see that as well, let me check."

" **Cantamem Aparecium!" "Specialis Revelio!" "Abscondis Revelio!"**

Hermione incanted in quick succession, a dull ping signalling that none of the spells detected anything odd.

Noticing the negative feedback, Harry simply decided to knock on the door and find out first hand why his Slytherin-hating best friend was reluctantly sitting with the Slytherin quartet. After he got affirmation, he swiftly walked in, with Hermione quickly at his heels.

As Harry entered, Ron's eyes grew as big as saucers as he left up, hugging Harry and almost knocking him to the ground. "Oh Thank Merlin! Harry, mate! What took you guys so long!" Ron spoke, in a rapid wail. "These snakes have been keeping me prisoner here!" Harry gave a nervous chuckle as he awkwardly patted his friend's heaving back.

Before Harry could react further, Astoria decided to intervene. "Actually, you _could_ have gone a while ago. Since you didn't leave, I just _assumed_ you didn't mind staying" she said cheekily. "Besides, you can't seriously say that you absolutely hated being here … right?" Astoria cutely widened her eyes, her lips forming a small pout, causing Ron to splutter in embarrassment.

Deciding to ignore the first-year, Ron addressed his best friends "Harry, Mione, please tell me you found a different carriage to sit in" he pleaded. Unfortunately for him, his two friends shook their heads negatively.

"We spent too much time looking for you, couldn't sit down when you were being held prisoner, eh?" Harry joked. Meanwhile, Hermione had decided to greet the other members of the compartment

"Hello Tracey" called Hermione from behind Harry before she gave Daphne a pointed look "Greengrass" she said, almost a whisper. Tracey jubilantly returned the greeting while Daphne glared as she gave the Gryffindor a stiff nod in acknowledgement. She held her gaze for a moment before she looked towards the messy haired boy next to Hermione with a far less contemptuous gaze.

"Potter."

"Greengrass."

"You know them?" asked Ron incredulously.

"The three of us all take Arithmancy, I also see Greengrass in Runes and Tracey is with us in Care of Magical Creatures" explained Hermione. Tracey gave Ron a cheeky simper as he grumbled. The redhead then turned towards Harry with a questioning look, prompting Harry to answer the unspoken question. "Greengrass and I have spoken a few times around school."

Noticing that he had been left out, Theodore decided to introduce himself, shaking Harry's hand and kissing the knuckle of Hermione's in a formal manner, causing the latter to blush and Ron to give him a glare. Ignoring Ron, Theo invited the two Gryffindors to sit with them. Harry took the boy up on his offer, arguing that they didn't really have any other options. Though hesitant and somewhat against the idea, both Ron and Hermione remained with Harry.

* * *

The compartment was once again awkwardly silent as Astoria had decided to visit her other friends in other parts of the train. At some point, Theo had left to find the food cart but hadn't returned in over half an hour. When asked, Daphne simply said that it was nothing out of the ordinary so Harry didn't question further.

Hermione had already exhausted the topic of their summer homework, where the boys had decided to tune her out after a while as Tracey politely conversed with the resident bookworm. Daphne occasionally made a comment or dig to contribute to the conversation, sharing an irritated glances with the Gryffindor.

Eventually, an hour or so passed mundanely as the five sat around in silence as the English countryside whizzed past them in a green frenzy. Occasionally, some voices could be heard from outside the carriage, as there was right now.

Suddenly, Daphne sat up straighter. A mischievous glimmer was in her eye, a sign that Tracey noticed too late as Daphne leaned closer to Ron, who was sitting in front of her, a sly smile adorned her face.

"You know, Weasley, I never did thank you for escorting my sister back here."

Ron looked surprised and was about to reply when Daphne reached over the gap that separated them and lightly pecked him on the cheek.

A shrill shriek sounded from outside the compartment, followed by a soft rumbling of footsteps. However, no-one in the compartment heard this as the kiss had caused a couple of immediate effects to occur to each of the compartment's tenants.

Hermione's jaw dropped to the ground as her eyes flickered ablaze with fury.

Tracey twitched minutely but otherwise rendered her face unreadable.

Ron's face bypassed the classical Weasley red and began turning scarlet as he began to splutter mutely.

Harry looked immensely surprised as he jerked himself backwards, crashing unceremoniously onto the back of the compartment wall.

Daphne pulled back and smirked, savouring each and every person's reaction as she looked around. Naturally, Tracey was the first to recover from the incident, placing a mask over her emotions as she gave a half-hearted wolf's whistle, which went unnoticed by the three Gryffindors who were still stunned from what had just happened.

The Golden Trio was completely silent, each of them trying their best to process what had just happened.

"Uh, guys…? Ron? Hermione? Potter?" Tracey called, unsure of how to get any of the three Gryffindors to respond.

Hermione quickly shook his head out of a daze and grabbed her best friends as he stood up. Ron almost fell back down to the ground as his legs were barely able to support him.

"Ron! Harry! There's probably a compartment available by now" Hermione said, weakly. "Let's go have a look". Slightly shaking, the girl stumbled out of the compartment into the hallway. Ron lumbered out behind her, obviously still mostly stunned about what just happened. Harry a small wave towards Daphne and a muttered "Bye" as he hurried after his friends.

As the compartment door slid shut, Daphne allowed herself to relax as Tracey's mask melted. Swiftly, Tracey pounced on her best friend.

"You like Weasley?!" Tracey half-shouted, barely believing what she had just seen. As far as Tracey knew, Daphne and Ron _never_ interacted, inside or outside class. There had to be some explanation for this and Tracey was determined to find out what. She looked challengingly at Daphne, who smirked.

"And what if I do?" Daphne challenged. The two girls stared deeply at each other for a few moments before they broke into giggles.

"Alright fine, so why did you actually do it?" Tracey asked, as she took the free seat in front of Daphne. Daphne gave her friend a questioning look, earning herself an eye-roll

"Daph, I've been your best friend since forever by now, I know when you have an ulterior motive"

Daphne laughed, tossing her head and hair backwards. "Fine, you _got_ me. I saw Lavender Brown just outside the window right beforehand." She smirked. "All I wanted to do was _paw off_ some of the men so enamoured in me…" she finished with an overly exaggerated, conceited tone before breaking into more laughter.

"I'm surprised though" Tracey said in an uncharacteristically serious voice. "Didn't you say that Potter fancied you? He didn't react much when you kissed his best friend. Guess you were wrong" Tracey added as she looked at Daphne. The blonde Slytherin shrugged.

"Potter and I? That would never last."

The Slytherin duo broke into outright laughter, the previous tension broken as they changed topics and conversed relaxedly for the rest of the trip, the kiss all but forgotten.

* * *

After leaving the Slytherin's compartment, the Golden Trio set out to find a new compartment. Hermione lead the charge, forcing the two boys to jog quickly behind her to keep up pace.

"Would you slow down a bit, 'Mione?" panted Ron "The compartments aren't going to run away from us … I think?"

Luckily, the three Gryffindors soon found a recently vacated compartment and stumbled in. After a few moments of panting to catch their breaths, Harry spoke up. A bit of frustration was evident on his face.

"Alright. We just ran away from a couple of Slytherins" he noted as he turned to Hermione "So my first question, oh valiant and courageous leader, is why did we do that?

Hermione didn't speak but instead turned red as she averted her gaze towards the window. Ron gasped as he came to a conclusion.

"Wait a minute… Alright. I know I'm terrible at this stuff, Dean and Seamus keep telling me but…" Ron had finally finished processing the information as he left out an incredulous gasp: "Hermione!" he grabbed his best female friend by her shoulders and shook her "You have a crush on Greengrass?!"

Hermione's gaze snapped back towards Ron. A look of astonishment and rage streamed through her eyes as she slapped the poor redhead across the face. "I don't like girls that way you twit! I just don't want to be near Greengrass for a long period of time" she finished, huffing.

As Ron massaged his newly reddened cheek, Harry turned to Hermione "Why not? She seemed like quite a nice person to me Did she call you the "m-word" or something?" He asked quietly.

Hermione's answer was slow and irritated.

"No, she hasn't called me that before. She just irritates me a lot. Just forget about it, I don't want to talk about her." Hermione turned back to the window as Harry's look turned thoughtful. His mind wandered back to the times when he had met the Greengrass scion.

Harry had tended to keep to himself or his friends during class and thus barely recognized Daphne when they had first exchanged words on the day after the match against Ravenclaw this year where he had successfully cast the Patronus charm for the first time. Drunk in happiness, Harry had accidentally crashed into the blonde Slytherin. To his surprise, rather than hexing him for walking into her, Daphne had instead congratulated him on winning the game and "dealing with the pest", as she had said before the pair formally introduced themselves to one another.

Since then, Harry had begun to notice Daphne around the school, sometimes in the hallways chatting with her friends, sometimes in the library studying for one subject or another. When they bumped into each other alone, they would exchange a greeting like the one they just had. He had long since acknowledged her physical beauty but those thoughts would quickly be replaced with thoughts of the cute Asian Ravenclaw in the year above...

Back in the present day, Harry looked bemused as Ron attempted to apologise, unsuccessfully, to Hermione. The Gryffindor bookworm simply looked irritated as she ignored her friend's words. Harry had no idea why Hermione was so annoyed by Ron's antics but chose not to press the issue. He trusted Hermione would tell them when she felt that it was right.

Eventually, Ron gave up on trying to appease Hermione and instead invited Harry to the upcoming Quidditch World Cup Finals, revealing that the Weasleys had been able to secure a few seats because of Arthur Weasley's position in the Ministry. The trio also received a surprise letter from Sirius Black, whom sent his regards and gave Ron the owl as a replacement for his old pet rat. Before long, the conductor called, reminding the students to change back into muggle garb in preparation for alighting the train, which the trio quickly did.

Upon arriving at King's Cross, Harry waved goodbye to his Hermione and Ron, receiving a small hug from Hermione and a bigger one from Mrs. Weasley. As he was about to leave with his Uncle as he looked back to the magical gateway. Daphne had just walked through the magical portal from platform nine and three-quarters, her face once again donning her impassive façade that he had seen her use as she went about in the castle. Upon seeing Harry, Daphne gave him a small wave before her family apparated away. Harry stood still for a few more moments before his frustrated Uncle dragged him towards their family's car.

As each of the students left the station with their families in tow, none of them realized that their destinies, lives and worlds were forever changed. Though the changes from their original journey seemed minute, the events of the day would have lasting consequences that would be felt for many years to come.

* * *

 _Spells Used:_

 _Tempus – Time-Revealing Charm_

 _Cantamem Aparecium – Spell Revealing Charm_

 _Specialis Revelio -_

 _Abscondis Revelio – Stealth Sensoring Charm_

 _A/N: Well, that's the first chapter, please R &R and have an awesome day!_


	2. Chapter 2 - A Champion's Gambit

" _Text"_ – Thoughts

" **Text"** – Spellcast

 _Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter; JK Rowling does._

 _Edited: August 12th, 2016_

* * *

 _ **Chapter 2 – A Champion's Gambit**_

 _Date: Wednesday, June 29_ _th_ _1994_

 _Location: Greengrass Manor_

A few days later, Daphne found herself waiting inside her father's study after having been summoned after dinner. She had already quickly run through all the possible reasons she could think of that would make her father want to see her so urgently. She had quickly debunked her grades being an issue, simply because her results had been as good as they had been in the past few years. As for her social standing within the house had not changed as far as she could tell, despite that _incident_ that happened. And so Daphne waited until the doors behind her opened as her father strode in.

Cyril Antonin Greengrass was a swiftly built man, with strong shoulders but a slim and agile body reminiscent of his days as a duelling champion. His short brown hair was well coiffed and he wore rippling azure robes that glided across the ground as he walked. The Greengrass crest was emblazoned boldly at the back of his robes. His face was hardened like stone, yet it betrayed a shadow of weariness that could only be found on a politician's expression.

Daphne stood up and gave a small curtsey to greet her father. The man simply gave her an airy wave.

"Dispense with the formalities. This meeting is about a task I have for you, not a test of your etiquette" he said, sitting down in his once, the room was filled with a distinct aura of power which emanated from Lord Greengrass' seat. As she had witnessed this countless times, Daphne was able to withstand the blatant display of her father's magical prowess without batting an eye.

"Very well then father, what do you require of me." Lord Greengrass gave a critical look at his daughter before he spoke his next words.

"As I have a meeting soon after this, I will make this brief. What are your opinions of Harry Potter?" His firm voice betrayed no emotion as he swiftly began to analyse his daughter's expression. Daphne was slightly surprised at this question but answered quickly regardless.

"Potter is an above average wizard, possibly rivalling the strongest of our year. His talents lie in Charms and Defence against the Dark Arts while his other subjects are somewhat decent, though that may not be entirely of his own doing." Daphne paused as she thought about how to answer the rest of the question. "While he is magically powerful, he is relatively shy and quite naive. He is also ridiculously foolhardy and impulsive, like a typical Gryff. I feel that he could potentially become one of the most powerful wizards in the world, though he would not be a good politician." Her father nodded and quickly followed up with another question immediately after his daughter had finished speaking.

"How well acquainted are you with him?" Daphne took a minute to think before she answered.

"I've met him a few times over the school year and exchanged pleasantries." At her father's questioning gaze, she added "We also sat for a while on the Hogwarts Express on our most recent trip."

Lord Greengrass's face furrowed. His mind was at work, considering the best courses of action he could take. Much like his daughter, Lord Greengrass had developed a neutral façade that he would use when in deep thought to mask his emotions. Daphne waited a few moments before her father began to speak.

"The following is a task I give to you not as your father but as the head of your house. You, Daphne Queenie Greengrass, are to befriend Mr. Potter within the coming year and insert yourself into his inner circle. Make sure you will be in a position of considerable influence over the boy" His words were swift yet firm, delivering the exact seriousness of his commands.

Upon hearing her father's orders, Daphne's façade did not falter. Silently, however, she was completely taken aback. Her mind slowly processed here father's words. It took her a few moments before she outwardly reacted to the edict.

"Forgive me, my lord" Daphne spoke quickly. Her voice barely wavered before she steeled herself once more. With a deep breath, she continued. "Am I to interpret that my orders are to … to seduce Potter?" Inwardly, Daphne was screaming. _"Is he insane?! He wants me, the heiress to our House to seduce the 'Gryffindor Golden boy'? How am I supposed to do that?_ Daphne looked up towards her father, doing her best to keep her rage from her eyes _"I don't want to be tied down to a messy, slobbish lout like him! I want to marry a person of my choosing!"_

Lord Greengrass easily noticed the mental war that his daughter was waging and waited a few moments as Daphne began to glare at him for a while. When her gaze retracted, he answered her query. "

If you feel it is necessary to seduce the boy, then you have my permission to do so. You are not required to make him fall in love with you, though that would make the task much easier to complete." Lord Greengrass filled the room with his aura once again, this time with a much greater intensity. Daphne froze, realizing that she had acted out of turn and bowed her head.

"Yes my lord" she intoned, slightly relieved at the new revelations but troubled by her new 'task' ahead. Daphne had quickly deduced that if she were to refuse or fail the task, Astoria would have to take up the mantle. She knew that the task would be infinitely more difficult for Astoria to complete, given that she was in a different year and had little to no interaction with Harry.

" _I guess Potter isn't the worst person I could have to "get close to". Father could have asked me to go for Crabbe or Goyle, or even Malfoy._ " Daphne shuddered at that last thought. She refocused her eyes towards her father. "What am I to do now, my lord? I am under the assumption that you have some sort of plan for me?"

The Greengrass patriarch almost smirked at his daughter's perceptiveness. "Write a letter to Potter, invite him over to Greengrass Manor for an evening. If he accepts, make sure you get to know him and he gets to know you. One night should suffice for you to present yourself to him as an ally" The man paused his speech momentarily as he gave another critical glance at his daughter. "As a father I regret this fact but as your house's lord am I grateful. You are beginning to grow into an exceptionally attractive witch. I am certain you already have to reject ruffians from all directions when you are at school. I am certain that you will not have any trouble with your allocated assignment. Do you have any more questions?" Lord Greengrass's tone was as cold as it could get, showing as little emotion as humanly possible.

Daphne thought for a moment before she spoke. "Am I privy to your motives for this scheme? I was under the assumption that our family would stay neutral in any future conflict, given our stance in the last one."

The Greengrass head had anticipated the question and responded swiftly. "Many of the Death Eaters that were released on the grounds that they were 'Imperiused' are on the Wizengamot" He spat out the curse in thinly-veiled anger. "They talk a lot and I overhear, simple as that. My 'scheme' as you say, has been made to ensure the continued survival of our family line." With this, the Greengrass patriarch stood up.

He stopped before the door leading out of his office. Without turning around, Cyril spoke: "Before I leave for my meeting, one last thing." Daphne had risen to curtsey at her father but his words made her look up. "I trust that your kiss with the Weasley boy will not affect your task?" Cyril looked back at his daughter as her façade fully melted off when she recoiled in revulsion. He let out a small smirk before saying " _Nos Metere Quod Non Seruerimus"_ and leaving the room.

Daphne muttered the same words to her father before she collapsed onto the chair, silently staring at the green and white patterns than adorned the office ceiling while mulling over the meeting that had just took place. She was vexed by her father's, no, her _lord's_ commands but was hoping that she would be able to complete her task without sacrificing too much of herself. _"Looks like my house life next year will be more difficult next year"_ she thought. Contrary to popular belief, only about one third of Slytherin house actually actively hated their red and gold counterparts. It was just that the more outspoken of their house belonged to that group of people. Regardless however, most Slytherins were somewhat wary of the Gryffindors due to stigma and thus there were few close friendships between the two houses. Deciding to act sooner than later, Daphne decided to return to her own room to draft a letter to the source of her current troubles.

* * *

 _Date: Thursday, June 30th_ _1994_

 _Location: 4 Privet Drive_

Harry was idly reading a book on DADA in his room when he heard a pecking sound outside his window. Life had already improved considerably compared to last summer, as Harry had convinced his uncle and aunt that his deranged, homicidal godfather would check up on him once in awhile. Harry chuckled when he remembered how his casual mention of the name 'Sirius' turned Aunt Petunia's already pale skin into sheet white. So, the Dursleys had allowed Harry to essentially do as he pleased, provided that he show up for meals and ignored them for the rest of the summer, which was very much agreed by Harry who didn't want anything to do with them.

Harry moved across to his window as he let in a strangely colored owl into his room. The owl was light red in color, which made Harry wonder who owned such an exotic looking bird. On its leg was a letter. Harry untied the parchment and gave the strangely colored owl some treats before the bird flew away.

Deciding to not take any chances, Harry opened up the letter. As he began to parse the text, his brow furrowed in confusion.

 _To Mr Harry J. Potter_

 _The-Smallest-Bedroom, First Floor, 4 Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Spelthorne, Surrey_

 _Hello Potter, this is Greengrass writing. If you were wondering, I am using a specialized rune for writing this letter to you, hence how I got the letter delivered without knowing your address. I am writing to invite you to a dinner to be held in two weeks' time on Saturday, 9_ _th_ _July at Greengrass Manor. There is no formal dress code, though my family would appreciate if you wore clothes more adequate of your station. The meal itself is equally informal as only my family and possibly Tracey Davis from school would be attending. If you wish, you may bring Weasley to accompany you._

 _Regardless of your decision, please send a letter back with your choice. Please use the parchment enclosed to write the message. When completed, simply say "_ _ **Partus Literae**_ _" which will activate the address writing rune. If you choose to accept, I will formally reveal Greengrass Manor's address to you. Simply take the Knight Bus here._

 _I look forward to reading your reply._

 _Regards,_

 _Daphne Q. Greengrass_

 _Nos Metere Quod Non Seruerimus_

To say Harry expected a letter this quickly from anyone, especially from a person whom was barely an acquaintance of his, would be a bad bet. He quickly reread the letter once more but ended up no less confused.

Harry tried to analyse Daphne's letter. It was clearly written in a formal and almost condescending tone, much like how he knew the girl spoke in real life. The invitation itself made him slightly suspicious, why would her family invite him to their family manor to share a meal? It also didn't escape his notice that the invitation did not specify that Hermione was invited to the occasion. In the end, Harry decided it would be more effective if he discussed the matter with someone else.

The problem though, was that Harry didn't have many people he could contact. The Dursleys were out of the question simply because of who they were. Hermione was currently on holiday with her family to America, as her parents had to attend the wedding of their family friend there. Sirius was still on the run and would not be able to hold a conversation as they could only exchange letters, which would take horribly long to establish an answer from him. Since Harry was not familiar enough with anyone else, he decided to call Ron for advice on the matter.

As Dudley's 14th Birthday was exactly one week ago, the Dursleys were out at a local restaurant celebrating (for the third day in a row) to make up for not being able to on the correct date. Luckily for Harry, this left him alone in the house. The young wizard took out the piece of parchment where he had hastily written Ron's phone number on from inside his trunk. After cautiously checking the time, he quickly slipped downstairs to the telephone and dialled the number.

* * *

At the Burrow, the Weasley family were quietly finishing their dinner. Arthur was trading work stories with Bill and Charlie while the twins were upstairs in their room, no doubt brewing some fiendish potion or making some wicked confection for one of their future pranks. While Molly was enchanting the dishes and cutlery to clean themselves, the telephone rang.

At first, the entire family stood up in alarm, thinking that the ringing sound of the telephone was signalling an attack. Only when Arthur remembered the strange muggle device he had installed in their house at Ron's request did the family calm down. The phone was installed with a highly specialized metal called "anti-orichalcum", or more commonly known as antichalcum. The metal produced strange waves of energy that negated magic, thus allowing the electrically powered telephone to be usable in the highly magical environment. Although long term exposure to the high amounts of antichalcum would diminish a wizard's magic, the metal in the telephone's wiring was depleted enough so that it would not affect the residents much.

Arthur cautiously walked over to the ringing machine and picked up the receiver. "Er… Hello! Weasley Residence, Arthur speaking!" Arthur spoke, overly cheerfully and loudly. He heard a sound of muffled laughter before his caller responded. "Hi Mr. Weasley, it's Harry."

"Harry! It's been a while, how have you been?" Arthur said before his face soured somewhat "Have the muggles been treating you fine?"

"It's alright for now," Harry replied. "I've got something I want to talk to Ron about quickly, do you mind if I speak to him please?"

Arthur quickly called his youngest son to the telephone, Arthur walked back to recommence his conversation with his two eldest.

Ron nervously picked up the receiver as his best friend waited on the other end. "Hey mate!" Harry called, happy to talk to a friendly voice. Ron's nervousness collapsed as he readjusted his seat and replied to Harry's greeting. "Hey Harry! I didn't expect you to call so quickly." Ron paused. His jovial tone turned cautious as he asked "The Dursleys aren't giving you problems are they?"

Harry instantly touched by his friend's worry for him. With a moment's hesitation, he replied "No, no they aren't treating me badly. In fact, you could say that they have been treating me the best since I've come here. Apparently, Padfoot's name is good enough to stop them from forcing me to do so many chores and stuff. They almost just ignore me these days."

Ron let out a breath he didn't know he had been holding. Harry was always very quiet about his life with the Dursleys. Although he was evidently not physically abused, even Ron's teaspoon sized emotional quotient was able to pick up on the harrowing nature of his best friend's time with his uncle and aunt.

"Well alright then, so why are you calling me? We weren't planning on picking you up until Hermione comes back from America." Ron asked

"It's kind of complicated" replied Harry "Just to be sure, is anyone else listening to this conversation?" Ron looked around the living room of his house. After locating most of his family still in the kitchen, he picked up the receiver again and grunted an affirmative signal to his friend. "So, what did you call for?" Ron eagerly asked.

"Alright, it's a bit of a strange story. A while ago, I received a letter from Daphne Greengrass." Ron's brow furrowed at the mention of the blonde Slytherin's name. Harry continued "Actually, I have it on me, let me read it." Harry quickly read the letter aloud to Ron. "So what do you think?"

Ron was silent. His first instinct was to tell Harry that it was a trap and to just reject it on the grounds that it was a Slytherin that sent it to him. He was actually about to speak when he felt a part of him falter. His mind flashed back to the events only a few days prior, where he had not only knocked over a twelve-year-old, but had also terrorized her, albeit accidentally. Part of him knew that it was an act, it had to be. But as he recalled the memory, the first year's fright were genuine. " _At least at first_ " he mentally added.

Harry was confused at his friend's muteness. "Ron?" He asked, wondering what had happened to his friend.

Ron was unceremoniously broken out of his thoughts. "Sorry mate, I was just thinking a bit" he sheepishly replied.

"More than usual then?" joked Harry, eliciting a chuckle between the two boys. "To be honest, I was expecting you to begin yelling at how I should tear the letter apart and ignore them because Greengrass is a snake"

Ron chuckled "Yeah, that sounds like me. I was about to too but I just remembered something. Remember when you guys found me on the train? When I was sitting with the Slytherins?"

"Yeah. Didn't you say you bumped into Greengrass's sister and took her back to Greengrass, Davis and Nott?" Harry replied

"Yeah well, there's a bit more to the story" Ron shifted uncomfortably on his seat. "When I bumped into Greengrass's sister, I actually knocked her over by accident. I dunno what exactly happened after that by I'm pretty sure I glared at her. I remember she started crying because of that, real tears mind you, at least for a while" Ron rambled. His thoughts were slightly jumbled and conflicted as his inner anti-Slytherin side fought the newly growing logic that had sprung up in his head. "The point is, I kinda felt bad for her, you know, since I made her cry."

"So what should I do?" Harry asked unsure of where the conversation was going

Ron thought for a few more moments before his inner Gryffindor emerged victorious. "I still think you shouldn't go" he blurted out. As soon as he said it, his thoughts returned, willing him to make a clarification. "Look mate, I guess that incident made me realize that the snakes are still human I guess, well maybe not Malfoy and his cronies" he joked. "I definitely don't trust them at all but if you really want to go, I guess I will accompany you."

Harry was stunned. "You would accompany me to a snake's pit?" he questioned, making no attempt mask his surprise.

"Mate, I ran into the Chamber of Secrets with you to face off against a basilisk. Greengrass is like a worm in comparison" argued Ron. "Besides, Lions stick together!" Ron chanted vigorously. Harry smiled at his friend's antics as he mulled over the thoughts.

"I guess I'll think a bit longer about it." Harry eventually said. "I don't trust Greengrass that much either but she doesn't seem like a bad person."

"Please. I still remember your look when she kissed me, you fancy her don't you?" Ron teased

"I told you, I don't!" argued Harry indignantly. "Are you sure _you_ aren't the one who fancies Greengrass? Your opinions of the Slytherins seems to have changed quite a bit" Harry retorted, smirking.

Ron gagged and mimicked the sound of vomiting as he denied Harry's accusation before the two best friends chuckled together.

"Look Harry, it's been fun but I kinda need to help Mom with the chores around the house. Keep me posted on your decision alright?" Ron said

"Alright Ron, I'll do that. Bye!"

"Bye"

And with that, the two teens hung up their phones. Harry went upstairs to think about his decision on the matter while Ron went to help his mother. As he went back into a monotonous routine, Ron's thoughts began to start again. Why did his thoughts on the Slytherins change so much? He clearly didn't fancy Greengrass, with her holier-than-thou attitude. Her sister wasn't much better and he was irritated at her for forcing him to sit with the snakes. His mind wandered to the smiling brunette who also occupied the compartment before he forcefully ejected the thought out of his head.

* * *

 _Date: Friday, June 24_ _th_ _1994_

Harry sat at the meal table in the kitchen of 4 Privet Drive. Across from him, Dudley was whining about his current meal of two celery sticks, a slice of cheese and a glass of water. Harry sighed as his cousin began a miniature tantrum at his mother, who created this 'meal' plan to satisfy the Smeltings Academy nurse's diet sheet. Simply put, Dudley had already grown to the size and weight of a baby elephant, which roused concern inside the caring nurse. Reluctantly, Petunia conformed to the decision – before dragging the entire family into the matter.

Harry had long since finished his food and was currently sipping a glass of water before he decided to speak.

"Aunt Petunia?" The woman in question looked up from her own meal at her nephew. Like the rest of her family, while she had never truly hated her nephew, Petunia immensely disliked what he represented – the unknown. Growing up, Petunia was terrified of her sister's supernatural abilities. As she grew older, Petunia distanced herself from her sister, only meeting occasionally for a meal or two.

When Petunia heard that Lily had died, she was undoubtly shocked and saddened, in grief because she could never reconcile with her only remaining blood relative. However, underneath all the sorrow was fear. Fear that her sister and brother-in-law, with all their astounding powers and abilities, were not able to stop a genocidal maniac from killing them both. As much contempt Petunia had for her sister, she acknowledged that Lily was powerful. Since this Lord Voldy-thing was able to kill the two most powerful people Petunia had ever known, it is no surprise that she was afraid.

And now her nephew, the only living reminder of her late sister, was sitting at her table, eating her food asking her a question. Wordlessly, she looked up at him, motioning for Harry to continue.

"A friend of mine invited me to her house for dinner in two weeks, am I allowed to go?" asked harry.

Petunia's eyes narrowed. Her first thought was to simply deny his wishes, before she remembered that Sirius Black was Harry's godfather. As she did though, her memories recalled a separate incident that occurred in that very house.

Petunia could vaguely recall a certain incident that happened sometime during the Christmas holidays of 1991 where a strange old man had appeared on her doorstep. Petunia vaguely remembered inviting the old professor into her household, where he convinced her and her family that her nephew must stay with them for a minimum of one consecutive month every year for their protection or something like that. Vernon had tried to argue against the man or something but... It was strange but Petunia couldn't remember what happened. Only that she would dread the consequence of defying that man.

She looked at the expectant eyes of her nephew as she contorted her face angrily and screeched "NO"

Harry sighed as he had somewhat expected his. "I'll be telling Sirius about this you know?" he said, raising a brow.

At this, Petunia was about to retract her answer again but was abruptly filled with a strong sense of foreboding. She looked to her husband, whom had simply shaken his head before he went back to reading the paper. Petunia's gaze flicked back towards Harry to explain as she was once again filled with a strange sensation of fear. Utterly confused and beginning to shake, she spoke once more. "What I said is final, do as you will."

Harry stood up, a frown marring his face as he stood up and left to write his letter the Daphne. As he walked out of the kitchen, he swore he could hear his aunt muttering "One freak or the other, doesn't matter which does it?" Harry paused in his step, confused and curious but decided not to press the issue as he returned to his room to write his letter.

* * *

 _Date: Saturday, July 1st_ _1994_

 _Location: Greengrass Manor_

Daphne sat in front of her desk in her room as stared at the letter in front of her, her eyes disbelieving. Noticing her friend's expression, Tracey shuffled over to Daphne and looked over her shoulder and read through the letter

 _To Miss Daphne Q. Greengrass,_

 _Daphne's-Bedroom, Second Floor, Greengrass Manor, Spelthorne, Surrey_

 _Hi Greengrass, it's Potter. Sorry but I must decline your invitation for dinner. Unfortunately, my uncle and aunt didn't let me to come, probably because Sirius Black is still on the loose. I hope you and your family will accept my apology._

 _Kind Regards_

 _Harry J. Potter_

 _P.S. What does 'Nos Metere Quod Non Seruerimus' mean? And why did you put it at the end of your letter_

After reading through the letter, Tracey looked at her friend expectantly. "So, what is this about?" she enquired. Daphne gave no outward response to her friend's question so Tracey asked her again. "Daphne? What's –" At this moment Daphne gave a cry of frustration shouting "How dare he!" as she jerked her body backwards and crashed into Tracey, whom promptly fell to the floor in a heap.

"OW! Daph! That hurt" whimpered Tracey as she massaged herself. Daphne's eyes were ablaze with fury as she looked down towards Tracey. Noticing that she had accidentally harmed her friend, her gaze softened.

"Sorry Trace, I was just annoyed by something …" Daphne stammered.

"Tell me about it" grumbled Tracey as she began to dust herself off. Her demeanour changed back to her usual cheery self as she asked "So, what's that letter about?" Daphne groaned as she massaged her temples. Sighing, she began to tell Tracey about her father's orders.

"Basically, father wants me to "get close" Potter when we get back to school, he said that he wanted me to have "influence" over him" Daphne finished, trying to downplay her irritation at the matters at hand. Tracey nodded as Daphne went along before getting into an exaggerated thinking pose.

"So … if I'm interpreting this correctly, your dad wants you to seduce Harry Potter?" Tracey said, building up the volume of her voice until the end. Seeing her best friend's shocked expression, Tracey fell on Daphne's bed in giggles. Daphne was about to correct Tracey when she was interrupted by a voice from outside.

"Yep, that's totally it!" called Astoria, walking into the room. Daphne glared at her sister as Tracey doubled over in laughter.

"It's not!" cried Daphne, vehement to stop the other two from getting the wrong idea. "I specifically asked father if I had to, he said no!"

"Actually, he said you didn't have to but it would make your task _so_ much easier to do," countered Astoria, who smirked at Daphne's scowl.

"GAHHH!" cried Daphne, as Astoria and Tracey's laughter hit fever pitch. After a few moments, the latter two calmed down enough, in small part due to Daphne's ice cold glare.

"Were you spying on my meeting with father?" questioned Daphne towards Astoria, who just gave Daphne an innocent look and smile. The elder Greengrass gave an exasperated sigh and tossed her hair backwards.

"Ok, so now we know why you wrote the letter but why are you so upset?" asked Tracey, wondering why the usually evenly tempered heiress was so irritated.

Daphne withdrew into herself as a form of meditation. Why was she so upset? Potter rejecting her offer was annoying but not that unexpected. Was it her father's task for her that bothered her so much? Daphne shook her head in frustration. Her original plan was to use the dinner to find out enough about Potter in order to complete her task. However, this plan was totally foiled now. Exasperated, Daphne looked at the smirking duo in front of her.

Realizing that they wanted an answer, she coldly said "He didn't address me properly" causing Tracey and Astoria to burst out into laughter.

Amidst her mirth, Astoria spluttered as she asked "So out of everything, you're most irritated because he didn't call you 'Daphne Q., Heir Presumptive of the Noble and Ancient House of Greengrass'?" Daphne's silence answered the question for them, making them laugh even harder.

"It's not just that, his letter was written so informally, like he was writing to some random hooligan off the streets, not the heiress to a Noble and Ancient House!" Daphne falsely elaborated. "I don't want to be associated so closely with such a person!" she cried dramatically.

Tracey snapped out of her laughter. With a curious glance, she asked. "Wait, I write like that to you sometimes. And you back to me in the same way. How is that any different?"

Daphne paused mid-tirade. She stayed silent for a few more seconds as her mind scrambled to find a loophole. With a dismissive wave, she said "It's because we're friends Trace. Potter isn't exactly a friend is he?"

Tracey ignored Daphne's dismissive tone as she argued "But aren't you 'ordered' to 'get close' to him? You can't marry a person but still write like that to them!" she teased. Daphne quickly caught onto her friend's implication as she swatted Tracey, leading the younger girl to duck backwards to dodge her.

"I don't like Potter." Daphne said flatly "Not in that way at least" she added, feeling the need to clarify. Though her two companions remained unconvinced, Daphne was not bothered to further elaborate on her words.

"Jokes aside, why would your dad want you to "get close" to Potter?" asked Tracey "I mean, he is the Boy-Who-Lived and all, but he isn't exactly someone that important in the wizarding world otherwise." The Greengrass sisters withdrew into their memories getting information about recent history drilled into their heads by their mother.

Astoria was the first to speak. "That's true, the Potters lost their noble status a while ago didn't they?" she asked, glancing at Tracey who nodded. "Didn't it have something to do with that muggle war where the Potter family head insulted the Minister of something?" Astoria recalled. Tracey nodded in agreement, as she too recalled something similar from her ventures into the school library.

"I'm pretty sure it isn't about political power" interjected Daphne, making the two girls look at her. "Father said something about the 'Imperiused' Death Eaters' on the Wizengamot talking about something which made him want to make such a move" she explained. "I guess he thinks that if I stick with Potter, we would be able to get through whatever conflict that comes out" theorized Daphne. The three girls mulled over the serious nature of their discussion for a while longer. Eventually, Astoria stood up.

"Well, it's been fun girls, but I need to get back to my homework. Have fun with seducing your future _boyfriend_ Daph!" she snickered, as she pranced out of the room, ignoring Daphne's indignant shouting of "TORI". Daphne glared at a smirking Tracey, who was about to speak. "Don't you start as well!"

Tracey held her arms up in surrender. "I didn't say anything!" Daphne continued to stare at her friend until Tracey spoke. "Alright, alright I'll help you sort out your mess. Geez, don't be such a frosty person" she grumbled. Daphne shot her friend an irritated look as Tracey gave her friend a cheeky simper, as Tracey's mind had begun to think of a way to help Daphne with her 'task'.

"Alright, first of all…"

* * *

 _A/N: Well that's a wrap, please R &R and have an awesome day!_


	3. Chapter 3 - The Bonds that Bind

_A/N: A bit of a longer chapter here, some more character development occurs_

 _Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, JK Rowling does_

" _Text"_ – Thoughts

" **Text"** – Spellcast

* * *

 _ **Chapter 3 – The Bonds that Bind**_

 _Date: Monday, August 22_ _nd_ _1994_

 _Location: Greengrass Manor_

"Quick! Daph! Tracey! We're going to be late!"

Daphne and Tracey collectively groaned as the far too energetic Astoria rudely awoke them before bounding out of the room. Tracey grabbed her wand off the floor and was about to cast a charm before remembering that they weren't at Hogwarts and thus not allowed to use magic. However, the short interval of clarity made the brunette realize exactly _why_ Astoria was so excited and let out a cheer of her own, causing Daphne to moan once more.

"Daphne! It's the day of the Quidditch World Cup Final! Wake up, wake up wake up!"

"It is way too early in the morning Tracey!" Daphne cried as she agonized over her sleep's disruption. Daphne slowly got off the bed to get dressed, all to spite the impatient Tracey who was already impatiently waiting at the door. As petty as it was, Daphne was happy to at least win this small victory this morning

By the time Daphne got down to the dining room, Tracey and Astoria were already done with their meal and had left to pack their belongings. On the far side of the table Lord and Lady Greengrass. The other two seats were left vacant, signifying that the Davis' had already left for Dartmoor.

"Morning father, mother" Daphne sleepily called, yawning as she spoke. Her father gave her an affronted glance while her mother smiled at her. Genevieve 'Eve' Greengrass née Lancaster was a tall willowy woman. Her long, golden blonde hair hung till her waist, framing her heart shaped face. Like her elder daughter, Lady Greengrass had a regal look to her, sporting warm chocolate brown eyes and an aquiline nose.

Daphne quietly sat down at the table and began to eat. Her father looked at her critically at one point but focused primarily on his own meal. When the Daphne finished, she stood and began to excuse herself to pack. As she began to leave, her father called.

"Wait"

Daphne swivelled around and looked at her father. Lord Greengrass looked up at his daughter as he spoke. "Make sure you keep an eye out for your sister. Your mother and I hope to join you three but as you know, some meetings can run for a long time." He paused before he continued. "Also remember your task."

Daphne kept her façade up as she nodded at her father's words "Understood, father" Daphne said firmly as she left the room.

Genevieve looked towards her husband as her daughter left. Sensing her displeasure, Cyril spoke. "What?" When his wife didn't speak, Cyril pressed on. "Honey, we have been over this". Eve simply huffed and glared at him. The Greengrass Patriarch winced as he recalled what had happened on the night that he had given Daphne her task.

It hadn't taken long for his wife to find out about what he done, though the crafty woman had decided to wait until a more opportune time before lashing out against him. In this case, Cyril had been having a very pleasant day and was getting ready for _bedtime activities_ when he found his irate wife holding him at wandpoint. That commenced a very fierce and emotional conversation about his supposed 'objectification' of their daughter, an accusation that Cyril had fervently denied. However, Eve was adamant in teaching him a lesson and had thus left to 'visit' her friend Kirsten for two whole weeks.

When Eve came back, Cyril had attempted to reason with his wife, only to receive a very cold glare. Apparently, just because other pure-blood lords wouldn't hesitate to do far worse did not mean that Cyril had the right to do what he had, or at least that was what Eve had said when she had final broken her silence a few weeks ago.

Cyril sighed as his wife continued to give him a cold shoulder. He looked towards the door that his daughter had just left from and grimaced. All he had done was for the continued survival and prestige of the Noble and Ancient House of Greengrass. _"Nos Metere quod non Seruerimus_ " he thought to himself.

* * *

Daphne had finally finished packing as the first few rays of the rising sun peeked through her window. She casually walked downstairs, smirking as her best friend and sister glared at her from their lawn outside. Daphne calmly sauntered out and was greeted by her sister.

"What took you so long!" exclaimed an annoyed Astoria, who had been bouncing up and down in excitement since she had gotten down. While no less enthused, Tracey was able to keep her composure, only letting her eyes gleam in excitement.

Smirking, Daphne called her house elf Tizzy, who teleported her bags to her mistress before popping away again.

"Calm down Tori," Tracey said as she picked up the old can that was their portkey "The portkey won't activate until it's time anyways. Daphne still has five minutes"

"Remind me again, why are we going to watch the stupid event?" Daphne asked in a disinterested tone, her words causing the room's other two inhabitants to glare at her.

Astoria immediately cried "It's not stu–" before Tracey clamped a hand over the writhing girl.

Teasingly Tracey retorted "Well, Tori is going because she loves Quidditch" causing the aforementioned girl to pump her fist and gave a muffled shout of "Go Ireland!". Smirking, Tracey continued "I'm going to check out all the hotties there." she winked before her tone turned sing-song "And _you're_ going so that you can see your _boy-friend_ " Tracey finished teasingly, causing Daphne shoot Tracey a dirty look.

Soon, the time reached _6:30_ and the Portkey began to glow. All three girls made sure as to be in physical contact with the can as it vibrated violently. _"I really hate this part,"_ thought Daphne, as she braced herself for what came next. With a loud pop, Daphne felt a hook on her navel dragging her towards the singularity that the portkey had made, which subsequently hurtled her and her companions through space. Gone from sight was the carefully trimmed lawn of Greengrass Manor as their vision was replaced with a swirling vortex of pale blue streaks.

With another great roar, the vortex reopened, sending the girls and their belongings strewn about an unfamiliar hill in Dartmoor. Daphne had found herself in a heap, a few feet away from Astoria who had landed on her back. For some reason, Tracey had been able to land with both feet on the ground and was thus smirking at the Greengrass sisters as though she had won some kind of prize. With an unladylike groan, Daphne sat up and looked around. A few meters away, a man shouted as he wrote down "Six-Thirty Greengrass Manor!"

* * *

It didn't take long for the trio to find Tracey's mother, whom had arrived earlier to the campsite alongside her husband. Kirsten Griselda Davis née Marchbanks was setting up the table inside her tent when the children arrived. The 35-year old mother was tall, with raven colored locks that was usually hung deftly on her shoulders. Her eyes were a piercing blue, her lips often pursed together into a frown. All in all, her overall composure resembled that of her namesake aunt's.

Ms Davis looked up as her and her best friend's children entered the tent with a coordinated "Hello" before Astoria ran up and glomped her 'Aunt Kirsty'. Sighing lightly, the woman waved her wand at the unpitched tent that sat inside her own. "Have fun you three, figure out how to pitch the tent yourself. _Without_ magic" she said, her lips turning upwards at the collective groans of the three. "Tracey's dad is working now so you're on your own for this" Their shoulders drooping, the Slytherin girls walked out to the patch of land next to the grown ups' tent.

"Maybe we could get a couple of boys to pitch a tent for us?" commented Tracey, laughing as Daphne turned red as she attempted to swat at her friend while Astoria remained confused.

"Tracey!" Daphne squeaked, scandalized by her friend's lewdness.

"Hey! I was serious about that, why don't we get some boys to help us out. Or do you want to do it yourself, your _Majesty_?" retorted Tracey, who had to once again dodge a half-hearted swipe from Daphne.

"You're lucky we aren't at a place we can use magic or I'd have hexed you by now" Daphne huffed "You have a point though, let's go look around to see if we know anyone. Maybe we could get someone to help us with getting supplies as well" she added

Astoria nodded in agreement as Tracey smiled glibly as she said "Ah, you know you love me too much to do that", a point which Daphne pointedly ignored as the trio began to look for some people they knew to help them with their tent.

However, Astoria's apparent curiosity overwhelmed her as she innocently asked "Tracey? What did you mean by getting some boys to pitch a tent for us?"

Tracey's grin grew tenfold as she opened her mouth to explain _exactly_ what she meant. Daphne knew what was about to happen and decided to clamp her hand in front of Tracey's jaw, shouting "TRACEY!"

* * *

On the other side of the campsite, Harry, Hermione and Clan Weasley had just finished setting up their tents. Arthur had excused himself to meet with work friends to chat before lunch while the twins had set up shop inside one of the tents. When Hermione asked what they were up to, their exact words were:

"Hermy-kins wants to join our glorious art of pranking?" exclaimed Fred, or was it George?

"Imagine the mayhem we would wreak, brother of mine!" replied the other twin, nodding his head vigorously

"But dear twin of mine, think of the horror –" twin one gasped, in mock horror

"– the terror –"

The twins looked at each other as they shouted "the SCANDAL?!" With this, a blushing Hermione simply left the two to their devices. After all, what could two boys without any magic or any magical equipment do … right?

In order to get away from the twins, Harry, Ron and Hermione, decided to tour the rest of the campsite they were in. The campsite was primarily reserved for middle to upper class British wizardfolk, so the trio were able to meet many of their year-mates, including the Irish Seamus Finnegan, who had been painting himself in his country's colors as the trio walked past. Seeing Seamus's rather imposing folks, the trio found the need to reassure him that they were indeed supporting Ireland in the finals They also met Wayne Hopkins, who gave them a small wave as well as Terry Boot, Morag MacDougal and Roger Davies, all of whom had apparently come together.

After a while, the three had made it most of the way around the campsite, looking around and greeting people that they knew or at least recognized. By the time they had made it to the other side of the field, Harry heard a loud shout.

He perked up slightly as he recognized the voice coming from Daphne Greengrass. Hermione too recognized the voice and was about suggest returning to the Weasleys when Harry spoke up.

"Hey, let's go see what's there." Ron didn't mind and followed his best friend along. A few moments later, a slightly dejected Hermione followed them as well. In a few moments, Harry's entourage had made it to 'Ground Zero', where they saw a red-faced Daphne struggling against a laughing Tracey. Unnoticed by all, the youngest witch present grinned at the arrival of the famed Golden Trio.

Ron caught his breath as he saw the sight before him, pausing as he processed the scene with surprise. A moment later, he subtly gestured to the other man in the vicinity.

"Mate?"

"Yeah?" Harry replied

"Should we, you know –"

"Nah"

"Good, I was thinking the same"

The boys gave a synchronized nod as Hermione watched on helplessly as her male friends refused to intervene. Without magic, Hermione was at a loss as to how to separate the two girls in front of her, if only just to help Tracey. Luckily for Hermione, Astoria decided to pipe up at this moment.

"Daphne! Stop wrestling with Tracey, your _boyfriend_ is here!" she commented innocently.

The Slytherin best friends froze mid struggle as they heard Astoria's words. Their gaze turned to the newly arrived Gryffindors and took in their facial expressions. Ron and Harry's faces were highly amused by the display of "muggle duelling" that the pureblood heiress and her best friend had given. On the other hand, Hermione looked furious, her thoughts raging like maelstrom in the ocean. " _BOYFRIEND?!"_ was the only coherent thought that she could form.

Tracey recovered quickly and calmly wiped the dirt off herself before she grinned at the boys. "Liked what you saw?" she asked teasingly, causing both of them to blush and splutter.

The girl giggled at the boys' expressions as Hermione looked on disapprovingly. Hermione shot a glance at her Slytherin rival and began to grin. The girl in question began to feel her face redden as she looked at the boys, whom started chuckling at her embarrassment causing the blonde Slytherin's blush to further deepen. Her face scarlet, Daphne shook as she dipped her hands into her pockets and held out two galleons to the boys.

"I will pay you to keep silent about this" she pleaded to the two boys. Ron looked like he was about to agree before Harry decided to be noble and held his hand out vertically.

"It's alright Greengrass, we won't tell a soul. Gryffindor's Honor" he declared. Daphne smiled, genuinely thankful for his words and decided to push back her doubts on how valid 'Gryffindor's Honor' really was.

Astoria had other plans however and gleefully asked "I'll take your offer Daph! Pay up or I'll tell everyone about it." She held up her hand towards her sister. Daphne sighed as she walked over to Astoria and crouched to her level.

"Tori"

"Yeah?"

"M.C. Hero" Daphne simply said. Astoria flushed a deep red and put her hand away.

She looked to the ground and muttered "No fair!". Daphne smirked and patted her sister on the head."

That's what you get for trying to extort money out of your elder sister, dear" she said teasingly. Discomfited, Astoria mumbled about having to meet someone and rushed off, leaving the five rising fourth-year students alone in the clearing.

After a few moments of awkward silence, Harry decided to speak. "So… what are you girls doing here?"

Tracey stood silent at the question, prompting Daphne to answer. "Tracey and I were about to look for some people to help us out with our tent and gathering supplies." A lightbulb seemed to light up in her head. "Speaking of which, would you three mind lending us a hand?" Daphne asked, looking at Ron.

Caught off guard by the question, Ron quickly deferred to Hermione. The bushy haired girl's brow narrowed. While Hermione found Tracey to be an amicable person, Hermione's relationship with Daphne could be defined as more or less outright hostility. It was truly a testament to their mutual brilliance that their relationship was not as well publicized as many other Hogwarts rivalries. Hermione opened her mouth to speak, and would have declined the request if it was not for Harry answering for her.

"Sure, we would be glad to help."

Hermione's eyes widened. Gesturing wildly, she mouthed a "NO" towards Harry. Daphne couldn't help herself and immediately picked up on the opportunity to challenge her rival.

"What's wrong Granger? Can't us Slytherins get some help from you Gryffindors? Or are you all too high and mighty to help us? What an ego you must have, seeing as it is only matched by your hair!" she mocked pettily, gaining her a glare from the incensed Hermione. Harry's eyes narrowed as Ron obliviously looked onwards at the rising tension. Hermione looked enraged before she spoke "I have no problem helping anyone! Unless they are over-pampered princesses who think themselves too good for anyone else!"

The two girls glowered at one another for what seemed like hours before Tracey decided to cut in before the situation worsened. "Girls play nice!" said the girl in an uncharacteristically serious and firm voice. The other two witches stopped in their tracks, their anger momentarily forgotten as the gave the brunette a surprised stare. "Alright, since Daphne asked Ron, why don't you give your final thought?" she added, turning to the redheaded boy.

To say Ron was surprised would be like saying Harry was just a little famous. Or that Hermione was just above average academically. For the first time in his life, someone had picked him to choose, not just because he was simply there. Usually best friends, Harry 'The-Boy-Who-Lived' Potter, or Hermione 'Princess Bookworm' Granger or one of his five older brothers would get their way on any issue, leaving the youngest Weasley boy with a long list of hand-me-downs. When it came to being chosen for a task, it was always the heroic Harry or infinitely smart Hermione who would take charge and lead. Ron didn't mind much but he always felt second-string. Now, a girl whose name he couldn't even recall was asking him to make a choice. Yes, it wasn't anything at all world-changing (or was it), but Ron was extremely happy at his situation. His eyes looked at the smiling brunette in front of him and clearly declared his position on the matter.

"Why not? It's not like we have anything better to do anyways"

Tracey's smile grew slightly wider as continued. "Alright, since we have two jobs, we should split ourselves up. Daphne, Potter, you two go find wood for our fire. Hermione, please go get us some water from the river. Ron and I will figure out how to set up the tent." Being unanimously outvoted, Hermione gave a long sigh. reluctantly acquiesced to the plan and walked off to the river to get water. Daphne victoriously smirked at the fleeting brunette as Harry led the blonde off into the woods, leaving Ron and Tracey in the clearing alone.

* * *

Harry snaked through the forest, easily stepping over the various branches and undergrowth that littered the underbrush. Behind him, Daphne had some trouble navigating the path that had been walked by the Gryffindor boy.

"Potter! Slow down. You walk too fast!" she shouted, already panting as she tried to keep up with her temporary companion. Harry abruptly paused in his footsteps, causing the blonde witch to collide into his back. "POTTER!" she yelled, her frustrations at the boy in front of him increasing.

Harry looked back at the Slytherin behind him, who simply glared at him. Harry raised a brow at her before he turned around and began walking again. The messy haired Gryffindor was rather confused by the girl behind him. After he declined her dinner invitation, she had not spoken a word to him, through a letter or otherwise. And now he had somehow split up with his best friends and ended up with her in the forest looking for wood for a fire? Harry was introverted and meek but not stupid by any sense of the word. His suspicions had flared when he saw how hostile Hermione and Daphne had acted towards one another earlier. Harry tried to reconcile the curt if high-strung Slytherin he had begun to know and the snarky, arrogant girl that had just insulted his best friend. The raven headed boy shot another glance at the Slytherin witch trailing behind him, trying to understand what had happened between the two girls.

Daphne noticed Harry shooting her badly concealed looks at her. She knew he was suspicious of her, that much was obvious to the perceptive young blonde. She sighed inwardly, _"This is so not going towards plan"_ she mentally grumbled. Daphne had somewhat picked up on Tracey's ad hoc idea to get Daphne and Harry to spend time together to get Harry to know Daphne better. However, instead of revealing the "Daphne who would be there for a friend no matter what" as Tracey had put it, she had instead inadvertently let her rivalry with Granger overwhelm her. _"He probably thinks I'm a total slime-ball by now_ " she thought grimly. _"Alright, now that Potter hates me, how am I supposed to get through that stupid task?"_ she mentally added, berating herself for her self-discipline's mess up. Sighing, she decided she had no other options other than to simply press on. Swallowing her pride, she walked faster to catch up to Harry.

"Potter, wait" she called at him. Harry once again stopped abruptly, though Daphne was wise enough to stop just as quickly to prevent another collision.

"What do you want" he asked sharply. "I already agreed to help you and Davis, what more could you need from me?" His tone bit at Daphne, who groaned slightly before she spoke.

"Look, we've gotten off to a bad start today. You should have noticed that I am not exactly friendly with Granger" she said. As the words left her mouth, Daphne picked up on her condescending choice of words. Biting lip, she tried to rectify what had been said. "What I meant was, I have some bad history with Granger but I shouldn't have insulted her like that." With some quick thinking, she hastily continued "If you were wondering, I don't hate her for being a muggle-born or anything like that. I hope we can move from this situation?" she finished, her tone turning hopeful.

Harry was surprised at how Slytherin's Frost Queen had so straightforwardly apologised to him. However, his suspicious nature returned to him as he gave the girl a frown. "Hermione isn't a person who cares much about her own appearance. That said, she is very insecure about two things, which I suppose you probably know by know what I am talking about" the boy said tersely. "I guess you might not have known about it beforehand but please, don't talk about Hermione's hair, it hurts her more than you realize." He finished.

Obviously, Daphne had known about the bookworm's insecurities about her hair and front teeth, though she chose to hide her knowledge from Harry. "I will agree to that I guess. I will not insult Granger's hair in her presence or otherwise. Would you prefer if I made a magical vow?" She asked. Harry was even more surprised at her words again but quickly shook his head negatively.

"What is your plan Greengrass? Why would you go to such lengths to make me trust you?" Harry asked wearily.

"Why do you assume I have an ulterior motive? I could simply want to become friendly with you, Potter" she replied, smiling on the inside at how truthful that line was.

"You're a Slytherin, that's kind of what you do isn't it?" Harry asked dryly. "Ron spouts a lot about how slimy and cunning you Slytherins are, I know what I am dealing with" he declared

"Fine, I'll tell you" Daphne simply said with a sigh. She began to smile coquettishly as she crept closer towards Harry "I have just been in love with you for so long, Harry" As Daphne advanced, Harry began to step backwards in shock. Daphne continued "Since first-year, I've admired you from afar but now I just can't wait! I want you now!" she gushed, stopping inches away from Harry. The Gryffindor was blushing scarlet at the blonde's words, his mind disbelieving what was happening. His heart pounded in his chest as he stared at the girl in front of him for what felt like hours, admiring how beautiful she looked …

Moments later, Daphne smirked and jumped backwards. With a twirl of her hair, she gave a cheeky glance at Harry "Of course not Potter! I don't fancy you and never have!" she said, laughing at the redness of Harry's face. After momentarily lapsing into confusion, Harry's eyes dawned in recognition as he glared at the simpering blonde in front of him. "Very funny, Greengrass." Harry sighed, glad that Daphne was just messing with him. His gaze turned sharp as he looked back at her "Now tell me your motive, or I won't have a reason to trust you."

Daphne smiled at the fading blush on Harry's face. " _Potter is really fun to tease, I see why Tracey likes doing this so much"_ she thought _"This might make my task a bit easier"_. Shifting her gaze towards Harry she spoke "I was being honest when I said I just wanted to be friends with you Potter, is that so hard to believe?"

Harry was puzzled at the blonde's bluntness. He knew that most Slytherins would have tried to find a way to trick him out of an answer by now, unlike what Daphne had just done. Frowning slightly, he simply asked "Why me?"

Daphne had easily anticipated his question and answered "To tick off Malfoy, to gain allies in other houses, to get to know the Boy-Who-Lived. There are many reasons why anyone would want to become friends with you Potter" Her casual tone when answering seemed to pacify Harry somewhat as he sighed.

"Alright fine. We can be friends under one condition. All you have to do is tolerate Hermione.. I'm not asking you to be friends with her, I'm not even going to ask you to explain why you two hate each other so much. Hermione won't tell me and I'm sure you won't either." Daphne simply nodded, having expected him to say this.

Harry smiled and extended his hand out for a handshake. "To a new friendship." Daphne took his hand. "Are you usually this formal with other people?" she asked, an inquisitive tone filtering through "Or is it just because you don't trust me yet?" Harry twitched, which Daphne took note of and filed into the back of her memory.

"Well then, let's get back to getting you and Davis some wood, yeah?" Harry said. Daphne blushed at the unintended double meaning, which Harry didn't notice. The duo continued to walk for a bit before Harry spoke up again.

"You are a really good actress Greengrass; I'm surprised at how easily to tricked me," he muttered, glancing back at the Slytherin witch.

Daphne simply gave him a small smile and said "Tracey gave me some tips on how to be friendlier to people. I simply emulated what she would usually do and went from there," she explained casually.

Harry said nothing for a while as they continued walking. Daphne followed him in silence as he deftly navigated the forest path. The two walked until they reached a clearing where some fallen branches were. Quietly, they gathered some wood and placed in an automatic-shrinking bag. Their task complete, they silently walked back to the campsite, each thinking about what had just happened.

* * *

 _Moments after Harry, Hermione and Daphne left_

Ron shifted nervously as he looked at the giant plastic sheets that were in front of him. Across from the sheet, he saw a pile of plastic sticks with metal ends together along with an assortment of clean metal hooks. Tracey noticed his confusion and walked over to him.

"You've never pitched a tent before have you?" Tracey asked, staring at the young Weasley. The brunette witch grinned wolfishly at her innuendo, glancing at the Gryffindor boy for a scandalized reaction. However, Ron just looked cluelessly at her, wondering why she was smiling in that manner.

"Pitch a tent! Get it? Ron?" Tracey asked the confused redhead before giving up "Never mind…" Ron simply shrugged and walked over to the pile of sticks and picked one up. To his surprise, the sticks seemed to be connected together with some sort of stretchy string. Ron held up the sticks and looked towards Tracey questioningly.

"Those are tent poles" she explained "You stick them together and they hold up the tent" Ron slowly nodded and went to assemble them while Tracey watched. After Ron had gotten one of the poles assembled, he looked to Tracey for further instructions. Tracey grinned again as she simply relayed off what they had to do next. As Ron got back into working, his mind was back at work. _"Alright Ron how did you get yourself into this?"_ He glanced over to the other person in the vicinity, hard at work. _"Oh yeah. YOU GOT TRICKED BY A SNAKE INTO IT!"_ Ron's thoughts turned angry as he stared at Tracey, who noticed his glare.

Nervously, Tracey asked "Uhh Ron? Why are you glaring at me?" Ron continued to stare at Tracey before he replied. "You tricked me into separating me and my friends, you slimy snake!" Ron accused, his voice risen in anger.

Tracey almost wilted under the pressure of Ron's glare. Her lips wobbled as she shivered slightly. However, Ron was unyielding, simply intensifying his glare at the girl in front of him. His tone matched the iciness of his glare as he simply asked "Why?" Of course, Ron did not expect any actual answer from the brunette. He was almost confident that the girl would just try to wave him off with some bollocks plea or some outlandish excuse that would create more questions than answer. Or perhaps a combination of the two. Yes. That was most possible.

Tracey noticed that her 'scared' act didn't faze Ron at all and decided to do something almost no other Slytherin would do. "Fine. The reason why I did it was to get Potter and Daphne some alone time. You remember Daphne's dinner invitation to him about two months ago? It's about that." Ron was taken aback by how easily the Slytherin witch had answered him.

"What are you playing at …" Ron paused. He tried to recall the name of the girl in front of him but couldn't remember it at all. "Ok, what's your name? No-one ever told me" He said bluntly

Tracey smiled bemusedly. With an air of friendliness, she extended her hand "I'm Tracey! Nice to meet you"

Tracey's exuberant greeting startled Ron. He waited a few moments before he responded "Err… your last name?" he asked "You haven't said it yet"

"That was the point, I'm not telling you, so it looks like you're going to have to call me Tracey instead of my last name!" she finished, smirking at the redhead.

"But… but… you're a Slytherin? Don't all you pure-blooded gits need us 'lowly blood traitors' to grovel at your feet and call you like that?" He said, gesturing frantically

Tracey couldn't help but giggle a bit at Ron's words. "Ok, a few things. First of all, I'm half-blood. Dad's a muggle-born and Mom's a pureblood. Second of all, remember what Daph said to you on the train? Most of us don't like being addressed like we are strangers with one another. It's been three years that we've been in school together Ron, lighten up!" she said, finishing with a small laugh and smile.

Ron's confusion increased tenfold. You see, Ron was a simple person with a very stark outlook on the world. Gryffindor? Good! Slytherin? Bad! Chudley Cannons? Totally awesome! Any other Quidditch team? Rubbish! And the list goes on and on. In Ron's outlook, all Slytherins had a few basic qualities. First of all, they were all gits. Naturally, that came from their elitist pure-blooded ideology which obviously stemmed from their long line of inbred family lines. Secondly, they were always scheming. After all, cunning is one of their core attributes right? Just as all Gryffindors are brave, all Ravenclaws are smart, all Hufflepuffs are loyal, all Slytherins are sneaky, slimy schemers who cannot be trusted. Lastly, all Slytherins are all scowling, surly dark magic practitioners who liked to gang up on and terrorize unsuspecting lions wherever they went.

However, the girl in front of him completely defied all his preconceptions. Her blood status was a glaring enough difference, as was her cheerful and bubbly personality. Ron saw that she seemed to radiate joy, in stark contrast to Malfoy, whom the Gryffindor viewed as the typical Slytherin. In addition, Tracey's overall composure and attitude was so different from the blond ponce that Ron was having trouble even imagining Tracey as a slimy schemer. Idly, part of him thought _"It's probably all an act to get me unfocused so that she can stab me in the back"_. However, his developing logical side remembered back to the incident on the train, at how scared the young Greengrass had been when he glared at him. He also thought back to the conversation he had with Harry and how he realized that Slytherins are as human as everyone else.

Ron had been silently contemplating for a few moments by now. Tracey tilted her head in confusion as she asked "Ron? You still there?".

The boy in question broke out of his thoughts as he looked around confused before he gazed at Tracey, who gave him a cheeky smile. Ron collated his thoughts before he spoke "Alright fine. If you don't tell me your last name, I guess I'll just call you Slytherin then. Or snake I guess" he declared, hoping to see a rise out of the brunette in front of him.

Tracey pouted at his words. "You still don't trust me at all, huh? Anything I can do to change that?" she asked, cocking her head back and forth.

Ron thought for a moment. "You could start with telling me your last name Slytherin, that wou–"

"Done. My full name is Tracey Davis" interrupted the brunette, smirking at Ron's surprised look. "I still prefer you call me by my first name though" she said after a while. "Anything else?"

"Your birthday?" Ron asked, more certain that she wouldn't tell him

"September 30th, planning on getting me a gift?" she replied, smiling. Ron frowned as he thought for a bit longer. He suddenly grinned as he asked for his next piece of knowledge.

"Where you live." Ron asked, thinking that he had finally gotten Tracey to give up. The girl in question smiled coquettishly and spoke in a playful tone. "Are you hitting on me Weasley? My birthday and where I live? Trying to surprise me or something?" Ron's face turned red at her questions, causing her to start laughing. After a few moments, she answered his question. "I live on number 12, Hartley Road in Sunbury" she said. "And yes, I do know that I technically broke pure-blood code by telling you that."

Ron tried to mask his astonishment but failed miserably. For a pure-blooded witch or wizard to reveal their actual location of residence was considered a formal invitation of friendship. In the old days before the Ministry of Magic was formally established, there were many large scale blood feuds which had forced major houses to adopt wards and charms to secure their households, a time when the Fidelius charm was first experimented with. If two heads of house decided to form a formal alliance, they would meet at a neutral location rather than each other's houses. Only under a formal friendship would the members of each house be allowed on the premise of another's property.

Tracey watched intently at Ron's expression. She continued to smile as Ron's perplexed face continued to stare in shock. A few more moments passed before Ron could get himself to speak.

"Alright fine. I still don't trust you but I guess we can be acquaintances so –"

"Friends. Not just acquaintances, or just allies or just comrades but friends." Tracey said firmly.

Ron sighed. The girl in front of him was truly and enigma. If Ron was to be honest with himself, she intrigued him. She acted so completely differently from what he thought that a Slytherin would. With a neutral tone, he simply asked once again.

"Why?"

Tracey had been anticipating the question for quite some time. With a small smile, she said "Because you are interesting, Ron. Plus, I like to be friends with everyone. Most people in Slytherin are so uptight and stiff, they don't know how to smile or laugh much. You on the other hand are kinda like the opposite of them, at least how you act."

"But why me? Why not Harry, the chosen one. Or Hermione? She is hell of a lot smarter than me isn't she? Wouldn't you be better off with being friends with them?" Ron asked. Tracey easily picked up on his insecurities. With a small smile, she looked up and stared into the redhead's eyes, which looked perplexed and almost … afraid? Tracey decided to word her next words carefully.

"Ron, you aren't just somebody that stands around next to Potter or Hermione. You've got some good traits yourself, I know it" she said, giving him a knowing smile. "Don't think yourself as Harry's lackey. He needs you as much as you need him" She said. Inwardly, she thought _"I really should listen to my own advice shouldn't I?"_.

Ron couldn't stop himself from gaping. "That was… that …" he stammered, unable to speak properly. "That was … the nicest thing anyone has said to me. Ever." he said. With an afterthought, he added "Thanks for that … Tracey".

The brunette Slytherin beamed as she heard her name uttered. With a content sigh, she decided "Alright, we've used enough time, let's get back to work before the others get back. Ron nodded and went to follow her lead.

"Say, which side are you supporting tonight?" he asked

"Ireland. You?" she replied

"Same. Support any clubs?" he asked again, beginning to smile

Tracey smiled a bit before she answered. "Cannons, I don't care what anyone else says."

Ron unconsciously began to beam "Yeah! They're awesome!"

The two laughed a for a bit as they continued to chatter while they pitched finished pitching the tent up, waiting for their friends to return.

* * *

 _Later..._

The golden Trio had left not long later with the tent set up and plenty of firewood and water for the night's use. Many people had arrived by now, populating the campsites around far more than it had ever been in recent times. Luckily for the Daphne and her companions, the campsite was only reserved for higher-class British wizardfolk which meant that there were not as many people there when compared to the surrounding areas.

Astoria had wandered back to the site sometime ago and gotten admonished by her mother for going off on her own. Daphne had also thusly received a reprimand for allowing her sister to wander off. Luckily, Astoria had gotten back safely, thanks to the help of Arnim Burke and his companions. Now, the three girls were sitting around their tent as they had been told to stay there before their families would enter the stadium to watch the finals.

"Can't we do anything?" moaned Astoria. Daphne shot her younger sister a glance.

"We probably could have if you didn't wander off on your own," the blonde muttered. Astoria replied with a cheeky grin which aroused Tracey's concern.

"You really shouldn't wander off on your own, what if we can't find you next time?" Tracey asked worriedly. Astoria however seemed unfazed.

"I wasn't that far away," she pointed out. "Plus, Burke found me not too long later anyway." It was Daphne's turn to frown.

"Arnim Burke is not a good man," she said. From her 'research', she knew that Arnim Burke had been one of the convicted Death Eaters who had pleaded innocent under the 'Imperius Defence', as it had been nicknamed by the general magical populace. Like many of the others, Burke had thus been released without penalty, much to the chagrin of those who knew he had been in the wrong.

"Yeah, yeah I know he was a Death Eater at one point," Astoria said, waving her hand as though she were talking about the weather or something equally mundane. Daphne and Tracey looked surprised.

"You know that and you're still fine with him?" Tracey said disbelievingly. The brunette had done a fair bit of investigating into the Death Eater organization along with her best friend, though that was partly because of her parents' jobs drawing her curiosity. Arnim Burke's name was not especially high on the list of dangerous individuals, but the havoc that even the lowest ranking of Death Eaters had wreaked was nothing to sneeze at.

"So what? It's not like he would target _us_ for any reason," Astoria said dismissively. Daphne and Tracey shared a look and decided not to push the topic further. As intelligent as Astoria was, she was still only twelve. Learning about how the worst of society thought was something that she didn't need to know so soon.

"Besides," Astoria continued. "We share most of our classes with the kids of death eaters anyway and they aren't so bad. Or are you going to tell me that you actually hate Theodore Nott?" Daphne and Tracey could not argue against that particular point.

"Theodore is a special case. Most of them, like say Parkinson or Malfoy are just as bad as their parents were," Daphne said with conviction. Tracey backed up her friend's claim by nodding vigorously. However, Astoria still didn't seem convinced.

"If I recall correctly, wasn't it a non-death eater's kid who caused that little incident which almost broke you're two's friendship this year?"

Astoria's words had an immediate effect on both Daphne and Tracey. The former for a minute before erecting a far icier version of her usual façade. However, the mask did not block the rage that she showed through her eyes. Tracey on the other hand visibly wilted and shuddered as though a torrent of bad memories had rushed through her mind all at once. Seeing the expressions on her sister and friend's face, Astoria quickly put a hand to her mouth.

"Sorry, that was uncalled for..." she apologised quickly. However, the damage was already done. An awkward silence reigned upon the three as Daphne worked to suppress her anger while Astoria attempted to unsuccessfully console Tracey. A while later, Genevieve Greengrass popped her head into the tent."

"Girls! We're going to the stadium now!" Daphne and Tracey swallowed quickly in an effort to calm themselves. Astoria had a slightly worried look on her face. Hopefully, nothing worse would happen.

* * *

 _Date: Tuesday, August 23_ _rd_ _1994_

 _Location: Dartmoor Camping Grounds_

"I can't believe Krum caught the snitch but still lost!" Ron cried

"I can't believe Fred and George won their bet. I mean really, the odds of that happening must be phenomenal" Hermione replied with a note of surprise in her voice.

"Hey, it was a great game regardless of what happened. I can't wait to try out some of those moves when we get back to school!" responded Harry.

The golden trio were busy discussing the results of the 1994 Quidditch World Cup Final, where the Irish had beaten their Bulgarian rivals 170-160. The game was very intense, though the Irish had lead for the entire game due to having a far superior keeper and equally potent chasers. On the other hand, the Bulgarians only had the legendary Viktor Krum, who had been touted as being the greatest seeker on the planet. Though the results seemed to be skewed, it was nevertheless a spectacular match which left no doubt to any that it was an epic game.

The last vestiges of conversation dying off, the three separated to go to bed, exhausted from watching the six-hour final. Harry felt his eyes feeling very heavy as he nodded off and began dreaming of doing all the crazy stunts that made Krum such a renowned Quidditch player.

All was quiet in the campsites surrounding the Quidditch arena.

But not for long.

Suddenly, a loud bang was heard from the edge of the campsite. In a flash, twenty tents began to burn, as shadowy silhouettes fled the scene that they had wrought. In a panic, Harry and Ron leapt out of their tent and ran outside. They were quickly joined by Hermione and the rest of Clan Weasley, all looking wide awake despite how late it was.

"Charlie, you lead the kids to safety in the forest. Bill you're with me, we have to stop the fire from spreading. Percy, you go find us some backup as quickly as possible. MOVE" yelled Arthur Weasley, his face grim and his tone firm. Years of experience dealing with mishaps like this allowed him to think tactically in any situation, and this one was no exception.

The elder Weasleys nodded at their father's plan and quickly went to work. "Well you heard dad, let's move!" With this, the dragonzoologist Charlie rushed towards the forest, with the twins and Ginny quick on his heels. The Golden trio were about to move when an ear-piercing shriek sounded from the far side of the forest. Ron froze. He recognized the voice. Quickly, he began running towards the scream.

"Ron!" shouted Hermione "You're going the wrong way!" But Ron didn't listen, his mind fully trained on the voice he had heard. Harry noticed that Ron couldn't hear Hermione and decided to cut in. "Mione, we can't leave him alone, we have to follow him!" he said as he took off after his best friend. The bushy haired Gryffindor groaned and muttered something about "impulsive boys" before she too started chasing her friends to the far side of the field.

* * *

At the edge of the forest, two young witches were running from a group of masked people. The smoke and the darkness disabled most of their sight and smell. All they could feel was the rushing wind howling throughout the night. A blazing inferno had erupted amongst the trees to the south of them, deterring the duo from running in that direction.

"AHH" one of the cried as she tripped over a root, falling to the forest floor. Behind her, her friend stopped her running and gazed back at the group of masked men, standing stalwart in front of her fallen friend.

"Get away from the mudblood, girly and you get to walk away scot free." taunted one of the men. His companions laughed in a jeering manner.

"Over my dead body" the standing girl seethed, drawing her wand. A multitude of hexes, jinxes and curses flew through her mind but her thoughts were interrupted by the man in front.

"You heard her" another masked man said, stepping forward. He pointed his wand straight at the girl as he silently incanted _**"BOMBARDA MAXIMA"**_ ,shooting an explosion towards his target.

The girl's eyes widened and only had time to reflexively cast a silvery barrier, which only blocked the spell's direct damage. However, the masked man's spell knocked her back a great distance. With a sickening crunch, the girl slammed into a tree, unconscious but alive.

The fallen girl wept at her friend's sacrifice and watched as the men in front of her advanced. Desperately, she did the only thing she could think of, yelling a single word out towards the forest edge, hoping that someone would be able to hear her message.

"HELP!"

* * *

 _Spells Used:_

 _Tempus – Time Revealing Charm_

 _Bombarda Maxima – Large Explosion Curse_

 _Protego – Shield Charm_


	4. Chapter 4 - Storm within the Calm

A/N: First action sequence! Also a point of divergence from canon occurs here, hope you all enjoy!

EDIT: Added a new incantation for a spell and put a little more detail in the aftermath of the fight

" _Text"_ – Thoughts

" **Text"** – Spellcast

* * *

 _ **Chapter 4 – Storm Within the Calm**_

 _Date: Tuesday August 23_ _rd_ _1994_

 _Location: Dartmoor Camping Grounds_

Harrison Davis was running through the burning fields as thunderous screams sounded around him. He found that he always seemed to be running. As a child, he had to run away from teachers who were chasing him for running around on the corridors of his primary school. In his first few years in Hogwarts, he ran from pure-blooded bigots who decided that 'mudbloods' did not deserve to study in the prestigious magical institution. He also spent many of his Hogwarts years running from the Marauder's pranks, which seemed to focus on Slytherin's and their close associates, which meant Harrison was a target. Then came his job as an Auror, which left him running after criminals and dark lord wannabes alike. A loud lightning strike broke Harrison out of his reminiscence, as he grimaced and picked up his pace.

The man suddenly stopped as he reached the edge of the clearing. He recognized the magical signature of his wife, who had just been close by. Changing direction, he sprinted towards the location, only to stop again, this time in horror. What was originally a somewhat large tent had was being mauled by what appeared to be beasts made of pure fire, chewing on and burning the smoking ruin that remained. Harrison felt himself fall to the ground. Trembling, he mentally incanted the human-presence revealing charm, receiving nothing in return. Tears welled up in his eyes as he casted one final charm. One last spell that would give him hope

" **Mortis Revelio!"** he cried, sending out yet another wave of energy towards him. When a dull ping sounded, he gave a great sigh in relief. His family was still alive! Suddenly, yet another scream tore through the campsite, causing Harrison to stand up in shock. _"Hang on Tracey, daddy is coming!"_ he thought, sprinting into the forest.

* * *

Ron ran towards the site of the shriek, narrowly dodging the various branches and roots that littered the forest floor. Around him, the woods burned, filling the air with a scorched smell and smoke. However, none of this deterred the redheaded Gryffindor, who simply ignored everything as he ran towards his goal. Behind him, Harry and Hermione were struggling to keep pace with the spirited Ron.

Up ahead, Tracey began to whimper. Her wand had been left in the tent when the girls had fled the tent. Somewhere along the way, her mom and Astoria had gotten separated from Daphne and she. The best friends were trying to find their way back until the disguised quartet had spotted them and given chase. Somehow, they had recognized her and had decided to confront the two girls, leading up to the confrontation now.

Daphne had just gotten knocked out by the clash of spells that just occurred between her and the masked men in front of her. _"Death Eaters"_ she told herself. Her father had told her stories of the war and how the Dark Lord's followers were attired. He had once joked that they were trying to poorly mimic the legendary Knights of the Round Table from the times of King Arthur, saying that their face-masks made them look more like comic book characters than actual knights. Looking at them now though, Tracey could not help but shudder.

"Well, now that the blood traitor bitch is out of the way, lets' get to our prize" sneered the front-most Death Eater. His associated nodded eagerly as they walked towards the fallen brunette.

"Wait! I am not a muggle-born. I'm half-blood" Tracey cried desperately

"Yeah well? You have a mudblood father! That means you are half a mudblood anyways. Good enough right?" mocked the first Death Eater, leading to agreeing nods from his companions. Tracey began to cry as the four men stalked up to her like she was prey. Their eyes, the only part of their face that was uncovered were filled with lust. "Oh, how much fun we are going to have with –"

" **REDUCTO"** screamed an enraged voice from behind the four men, taking all by surprise.

The Death Eater closest to Tracey was hit with the overpowered curse, causing his passive shield charm to immediately expire, throwing him headlong into a tree, breaking through the trunk.

"Arnim!" shouted one of the Death Eaters, shocked at what had happened. All three remaining Death Eaters turned around to see the latest arrivals on the scene. A panting but murderous face glared back at them. Behind him, two more people appeared.

"Who do you think you are!" demanded a Death Eater, incensed at the insult that had been hurled at them. He glanced at his adversary to size him up, only to start laughing when he saw his opponent's red hair.

"Oh this is fucking perfect! A blood traitor coming to the rescue of the half-mudblood!" The Death Eaters collectively looked at the other two people standing and began chortling further. "And look at that! Another mudblood! And the great Boy-Who-Lived too! This is fucking perfect!"

On the other side, Ron was seething. How dare these monsters do this! Rioting after the game? That was almost understandable. But this? Absolutely unforgivable! Ron glanced at the crying girl a few meters away and his gaze turned even colder. Like their namesake animal, an irate Weasley was as ferocious as a dragon, a fact he intended to show his adversary. Hermione drew her wand, intent on aiding her friend in the upcoming fight. Harry to reached for his wand but noticed something wrong. _"Where is it?"_ he thought, beginning to panic.

The two groups of people stared at each other for a brief moment before the Death Eaters opened fire with a slew of blasting curses, forcing the golden trio to duck behind trees. It was obvious who outmatched who.

Thinking quickly, Ron turned around and fired a disarming charm at the closest Death eater, who easily sidestepped the charm and fired off a bone-splintering curse in retaliation. Luckily, the Weasley was able to dodge the curse, only missing it my a few inches. Hermione attempted a different tactic, using her expansive spell library to her advantage.

" **Accio branch"** she cast, summoning a fallen branch from the edge of the battlefield. As the branch whizzed towards Hermione, she tried to position herself so that the projectile would slam into a Death Eater. With a resounding crack, the branch found the arm of a Death Eater, who howled in pain. His two companions' expressions turned from jest to fury.

His voice risen to a volume of a yell, one of the Death Eaters cried "Alright! Playtime is OVER!" His eyes gleamed in a crazed manner, as he shouted the name of his most terrifying curse " **IGNIS MARCHO** –"

" **RAIPA**!" growled a voice from outside the battlefield. In moments, three surprisingly straight lightning bolts struck their targets, taking all three conscious Death Eaters by surprise and knocking them to the ground. Astounded, Hermione, Harry and Ron looked towards the side as Harrison Davis thundered into the clearing. He quickly rushed to his daughter's side and examined her injuries before putting her to sleep. Sighing slightly, his gaze flicked towards the other three kids in the vicinity.

The Golden trio was collectively stunned by the display that had just occurred. Harry and Ron were astounded by the power of the spell while Hermione was trying to rack her brains to figure out what it was. Hermione was the first to recover.

"Excuse me sir but who are you?" she squeaked. Harrison softened his gaze as he turned towards the girl before him.

"Auror Harrison Davis, muggle-born father of Tracey here. Thank you all for saving her" he replied tersely, offering the three a bow. The man quickly surveyed the children in front of him. He had of course recognized the Boy-Who-Lived. From this, Harrison quickly deduced that the other two were the Weasley boy and muggle-born prodigy that were in Tracey's year. With a few moments of deliberation, he spoke "I best get going, my work tonight is not yet done. Can I entrust you with reuniting my daughter with my wife?" he asked. Quivering slightly, Ron stepped forward. "I'll make sure of it" Harrison raised an eyebrow but dismissed the immediate question. He wordlessly levitated Tracey onto Ron's back to allow Ron to carry her.

Harrison looked around the area once more. Spotting who he was looking for, he walked over to the Greengrass heir and levitated her. He grimaced as he noticed how much damage the girl had sustained as he conjured up a body cast to keep her from getting injured further. "Can one of you carry Daphne back to them as well?" Knowing the Hermione wouldn't budge an inch, Harry wordlessly stepped forward. Harrison promptly placed the unconscious blonde on his back, as he did with his daughter. He then turned to Hermione as he took out a small round locket from his neck.

"If you are anything like the newblood prodigy in my year, you should know what this is" Harrison took her wand and incanted **"Vestigo Kirsten Griselda Davis!"** as he pointed the wand at the locket. Hermione's wand shook briefly before it made a circle spin and pointed towards a direction in the forest. Eying the realizing look on Hermione's face, the auror turned his heel and apparated away.

The three Gryffindors stood still for a few moments before Ron asked "Mione, what's that spell?" Hermione shook out of her stupor to answer her friend "It's a tracking spell, we should be learning in this year in Charms." Hermione looked at the two unconscious Slytherin's on her friend's backs, her gaze narrowing at Daphne for a brief moment before she spoke again. "Let's get them back to Tracey's mom quickly, the Weasleys are probably worried sick about us." The boys nodded and followed her lead.

Unbeknownst to them, a large green skull-shaped apparition was shot into the sky near them. The mark rippled in the wind as Harry winced. His scar burned as he groaned, slightly shifting the blonde on his back so that her head lulled on his shoulder. Hermione glanced back and glared at the unconscious girl before she continued to walk in the direction her wand pointed, the boys following her mutely.

* * *

 _Date: Thursday, September 1st 1994_

 _Location: Davis Residence_

Tracey quickly finished her breakfast inside on her dining room table before excusing herself. Today was the first day of her fourth year at Hogwarts, the 'start of the annoying years' as her mother put it. When asked, Kirsten simply replied with the words "Marauders Rising" to which Harrison shared a knowing look with his wife. It had been a long day for the resident auror. Luckily, neither his nor Ron's justifiably angered states had killed any of the Death Eaters that night, the Death Eaters only receiving moderately serious electrical burns. Harrison sighed as he remembered how impulsive he had been. Had he missed or been predicted, he knew he would have been unlikely to have survived the encounter.

"Mom! Dad! We have to leave soon or I'll be late!" Tracey hollered from the doorway to the basement. The Davis couple sighed in synchronization while sharing a knowing smile at each other. After activating enchantments to clean the cutlery and dishes, Clan Davis was ready to depart to King's Cross Station.

Not much had happened since the Quidditch World Cup final. The golden trio were able to find Kirsten Davis rather quickly due to the accurate tracking charm. After passing the two Slytherin girls to the Davis mother, the three gave a brief recount of what had happened before bidding the Davis/Greengrass group a quick farewell. However, before they left, Astoria pounced on Ron, proclaiming him the "Grand Saviour" much to his chagrin and everyone's amusement.

The Slytherin best friends were sent briefly to a makeshift medical tent to treat their injuries. While Tracey's physical injuries were minor, the mental trauma she suffered required her to visit a mind healer. Though thoroughly shaken by what had happened, Tracey was able to make a full recovery, both in mind and body. Daphne's injuries on the other hand were all physical. She suffered from a spine cracked in several non-threatening locations and a moderate concussion, forcing her spend a brief stay in St. Mungo's proper.

The blonde Slytherin had awoken a few days ago, irritated at how helpless she had been when it came to helping her friend. Tracey had tried to reassure her that she did all that she could but Daphne knew better. After all, the three Gryffindors had stood against the masked men and stalled them until Harrison had arrived. Daphne knew that she could have acted faster, taken out one of the scum that dared attack them but she didn't.

At Greengrass Manor, the raining weather did nothing to appease the blonde Slytherin. Daphne was waiting at the informal area, deeply contemplating. She thought back to the incident, as she had done many times these past few days. Why couldn't she do it? She knew a plethora of curses and hexes, all from her family library that had been collected or created over the course of the family's five centuries of history. She knew that she had the ability to cast them, having practiced them countless times under her father's careful eye. So, she had the knowledge, and the ability. So what held her back? The answer had come to her quickly but she had dismissed that thought quickly. After all, bravery is a stupid characteristic to have … isn't it? It's what gets all those foolhardy Gryffindors into trouble isn't it?

After getting out of the hospital, Daphne had gone home to prepare for her school year. She had sent a short letter to Harry as a form of thanks for saving her and Tracey, to which the boy had responded with a short note back to her as a reply. _"Well, phase 1 seems to have been a success, no matter how badly events had seemed to screw up"_ she thought to herself. _"Time for phase two I guess, hope the plan works"_ Sighing, Daphne continued to wait on her family as they got ready to floo to King's Cross.

* * *

King's Cross station was jam packed with people, as it always was at this time of year. The Greengrass/Davis cohort arrived at precisely 10:45, as was their usual tradition. Pleasantries were exchanged between the two close families, though Cyril and Harrison only shared a slightly frosty glance, much to their wives' exasperation. The children quickly boarded the train after this, where Astoria had quickly scurried away, saying "Meeting Ophelia, Bye!" thus leaving Daphne and Tracey alone.

"Well, let's go grab a compartment" Tracey suggested, to which Daphne wordlessly nodded. The girls walked across the Hogwarts express, listening out for interesting conversation points. As they walked, they heard mutterings about some strange yet exciting event that was supposed to occur during the year. Words like "tournament", "tasks" as well as the foreign institutions of "Beauxbatons" and "Durmstrang" were heard multiple times. Neither girl knew what was being spoken about so they simply carried on walking through the carriages.

"... yes... they probably don't talk about important stuff in front of him..."

The girls' heads snapped forwards. In front of them, a smirking Draco Malfoy was leering at a fuming Ron, while Vincent and Gregory were laughing cruelly alongside their de facto leader. Harry and Hermione were next to their friend in support, glaring at the blond Slytherin. Daphne's eyes narrowed as she 'cleared' her voice. Immediately, Draco cast his gaze from the Weasley down towards Daphne. His smirk faded, his eyes went from a victorious gleam to a fearful look.

"H... Hey Daphne" he stammered, trying to appease the glaring blonde. Behind him, Crabbe and Goyle backed away from their leader, unwilling to get into any possible confrontation with the Greengrass scion.

"Save it Draco, leave now before you say something you will regret." Daphne said icily. With another glare, Draco's gang scampered away from the carriage, leaving the three Gryffindors alone with the two Slytherins.

Harry and Ron looked at Daphne with shock and awe as Tracey gave the two boys a small wave from behind her best friend. Daphne felt a measure of pride until she looked further into the compartment and saw Hermione. They gave each other matching irritated looks before Hermione spoke.

"What do you want, Greengrass" the bushy haired Gryffindor spoke. She hadn't forgotten the insult that Daphne had said to her on the night of the QWC final. Quickly assuming that the Slytherin was here to continue their rivalry, Hermione had unconsciously straightened her posture and affixed an expression of impassivity on her face.

Daphne merely gave a wry smile to the combative Gryffindor. Speaking in an over cultured tone, she said "I, Daphne Greengrass, would like to make a formal apology to Miss Hermione Jean Granger, on behalf of the Noble and Ancient House of Greengrass, for the insult that I had wrought on the twenty-second of August of this year, as well as all insults and injuries I have inflicted on your person prior. Please accept my deepest regrets and may we start afresh. Forsooth I swear, so mote it be"

Every occupant in the compartment was stunned. Harry had little idea what Daphne had just said but her tone and some of the key words made her seem genuine so he gave her a nod and a small smile. Ron was confounded by the occurrence. He too had some knowledge of this tradition, knowledge he had gleaned from his mother's rants after the fiasco where Lucius Malfoy and his father had competed in a 'muggle's duel' a few years ago. His mother was ranting about, amongst other things, how the Malfoy lord didn't even bother to apologise. Ginny and Ron were sitting nearby and Ginny decided to ask about the issue.

Hermione was stunned. With a disbelieving expression she shakily asked "What's your game Greengrass?" Daphne smiled drolly at the muggle-born witch. "Why I merely wanted to make amends with you, _Hermione_." Hermione was about to interject when Daphne continued "Oh, and remember this, any and all insults, verbal or otherwise, towards my person can and will be constituted as an attack of the _Noble_ and _Ancient_ House of Greengrass" she drawled, smirking. Realization dawned on Hermione's face as she forcibly bit back on a comeback. Seeing her rival's defeat, Daphne turned to look towards Harry, her smile serene.

Harry was aware of his best friend's defeated expression but chose not to comment. He wasn't foolish enough to think that the two girls would reconcile quickly, though he was hopeful that they wouldn't spite each other for much longer. With another small smile, he asked "Why don't the two of you sit here with us for a while? See it as us returning the favour from the end of last year?" Daphne held back a smirk and elegantly sat next to Harry. Hermione, who was sitting opposite Harry, decided to move to the far side of the compartment, sliding up to the window. Harry gave a small sigh of relief as he motioned for Tracey to sit as well, to which the brunette accepted.

"Thanks for saving us Ron, Potter, Hermione" said Tracey. Her tone was uncharacteristically detached, lacking in the usual flair and cheer that seemed to surround the girl. The temperature of the room seemed to drop along with Tracey's tone. The whole group was silent for a few seconds, each person contemplating the events that had transpired. Before long, Ron spoke up. "Wasn't a problem, Dav… sorry… Tracey" he said, barely catching himself.

Seeing as Ron didn't elaborate, Harry decided to pitch in "Well… we're friends aren't we?" he asked, looking around. Hermione gave an almost unnoticeable huff as she continued to look through the window while Daphne gave him another smile. Ron and Tracey gave each other a glance before nodding. Harry continued "Besides, we didn't really do much, only really stood there getting shot at for the better part of five minutes." He laughed, scratching the back of his head as he spoke.

Hermione decided to speak "Well, you boys didn't do much but I got one of the Death Eaters remember?" she gave a smile towards Harry and Ron, who both reciprocated it. Daphne's smile turned to a frown briefly before reverting into a slightly forced smile. Hermione smirked at the Slytherin's change in expression as she glanced at the Slytherin victoriously.

"You don't have to remind us Hermione" Harry said lightly, trying to defuse the tension that had once again built up between the two girls. "Besides, Mr. Davis was able to take out three of them at once with that awesome spell remember?" The two Gryffindor boys relapsed into reminiscence of the spell, wondering how cool it would be to use it.

Hermione remembered the spell as well. She had tried to look for it in her magical texts but had not been able to find any trace of it in her books. Deciding to save time instead of researching at the library, she asked "By the way, Tracey, what was that spell? I've seen references to a small amount of lightning related spells, though most of them involve guiding it from the sky. That spell your dad used was not listed anywhere I looked." she explained as she looked at Tracey expectantly

Tracey looked contemplative for a moment before her eyes narrowed. She could recall a few specific spells that her father could have used that matched Hermione's description. Carefully choosing her words, she answered "I don't really know, dad knows a few spells that use electricity so it could be any one of them."

"If it helps, the incantation was something like er… rapper?" Hermione pressed. Tracey's eyes widened at what Hermione said. Hastily, she tried to mask her surprise but Hermione had caught the brunette. "So you do know the spell! What is it? How did he learn it? Why haven't I seen it anywhere else?" she asked in rapid succession.

Tracey looked dumbfounded. With not many options, she looked over to Daphne for help. Hermione followed her gaze to her rival, where the blonde's smile had once again receded. Daphne too had recognized the spell, though was equally unwilling to divulge its origins. Daphne looked around the room, noticing Harry and Ron looking at her intently. Highly irritated by the turn of events but wanting to save Tracey from further discomfort, she decided to reveal as little as she could.

"It's a spell created by our parents' friend before we were born. Before you ask, no it's not dark. In fact, the creator of the spell was a muggle-raised wizard with unknown blood status" she curtly replied. Hermione looked like she wanted to continue to ask but Harry stopped her. In front of Daphne, Tracey fidgeted uncomfortably as the discussion occurred. However, Ron was not observant enough to notice.

"Blimey, if he created that spell he must be super strong! What's his name? Can we meet him?" he asked eagerly. Tracey and Daphne shared mutual looks of discomfort. Daphne decided to glare at the unsuspecting Weasley while Tracey continued to look uncomfortable. Eventually, Ron felt the frosty atmosphere and ask "What? What did I say?"

Daphne ignore the Weasley, though Tracey looked up at him. Their eyes met, as she took in his confusion and doubt, while he saw her sadness. As dense as he was, it dawned on Ron that he should apologise. He began to speak but was cut off by Tracey.

"The creator of that spell is no longer with us, Daphne and I have never met him before" she said glumly. Like many other wizarding children, the two had grown up with stories about their parents during their Hogwarts days. They had often listened in wonder as they listened to tales about the mysterious 'Marauders' who apparently terrorized the school by the means of pranks, or stories of how different supposed 'upper-class citizens' had made giant fools of themselves in school. However, their parents would occasionally pause in their story. Tracey's father would clench his fist, their mothers would look depressed and Daphne's father would form a frosty look on his face. It was clear that this 'Arcstrom' individual was a sore topic among their parents, thus they chose to never ask about him.

* * *

Silence reigned once again amongst the awkward group as the English countryside continued to pass by in a blur next to them. The food trolley had come and went, where the quintet had quietly purchased their refreshments in relative silence. Before long, another person showed up at their compartment door.

"Oh hello Harry, Ron, Hermione" a voice called from outside the compartment

Daphne looked up to see who was addressing the Golden Trio. She struggled to keep her facial expression unchanged as she internally moaned at the newest arrival. Neville Longbottom shyly stepped into the almost full compartment after being waved in by Harry. He paused as he looked around the cabin, freezing when his gaze met the blonde Slytherin's.

They stared at each other before Neville stammered "Miss Greengrass! I didn't expect to see you here."

The blonde frowned imperceptibly before she responded "Heir Longbottom" she turned her head towards the window to avoid the suspicious gaze that Hermione sent her. "Neville! Come sit with us" Hermione said, a small amount of smugness entering her voice. Neville's eyes widened in shock as he glanced between Hermione and Daphne. His eyes turned to Harry who had begun to notice the frosty atmosphere. Harry gave his friend a smile that said "Sit with us if you want"

Neville was more than a little surprised. His focus was lost for a moment, an opportune moment that was quickly taken advantage of. Trevor the toad noticed that his master's grip had briefly slackened. With a croak of freedom, Trevor mustered up his strength and leaped away, causing his blond master to yelp in surprise. "Oh no!" Waving the compartment's occupants a quick goodbye, Neville ran down the hallway after his toad, leaving the quintet in silence once again.

Harry stood up quickly. Unlike what many thought, Harry was actually quite astute, especially when it came to his friends. Though he wasn't the most tactful of people, he was able to at least understand what was happening. "Greengrass, can we have a word in private please?" he asked. The girl in question gave a small nod and stepped out into the corridor. Harry walked out of the room in time to see her finish casting a slew of spells in quick succession.

"What were those spells?" he asked curiously

"Detection spells, hasn't Granger used them before?" she said loftily. "I assume you wanted to make sure this conversation is kept private so I did so."

Harry felt impressed by the girl in front of him but quickly masked it. He leaned in slightly imposingly and stated bluntly "You dislike Neville."

His suddenness and tone caught Daphne off guard. Not realizing that the statement wasn't a question she answered stammering "He's just… not a person I want to associate with" Daphne became increasingly aware of the proximity between their faces, beginning to unconsciously blush because of it. Harry didn't notice this as he coldly asked "Do you even know Neville?"

Surprised at Harry's change in tone, Daphne answered "I don't know him well no" Harry persisted "Then I suppose you aren't one of those ignorant prats who insult my friend behind his back? Are you?" Harry's voice had gotten even colder for each word he said. While Neville and he were never that close, Harry genuinely liked his Herbology-loving roommate and hated the people who would pick on the shy young boy.

Though Harry had turned his glare piercing towards the Slytherin, Daphne held her ground against the Gryffindor. Quickly schooling her emotions, she adopted her façade as she spoke "I do not like associating with Longbottom not because of his incompetence as a wizard but rather his incompetence as a young Lord" she said, adopting a cold and formal tone.

Harry's glare receded as his expression was replaced with one of confusion. "What?" came his eloquent reply. Daphne simply sighed as she began thinking of how to explain to Harry what she meant.

"In short, Longbottom is the Heir Apparent of a Noble and Ancient House, which means he technically outranks me" she began, taking note of Harry's confused expression "On the other hand, Longbottom does not act anything like how a man of his status should at all, hence why I don't wish to associate with him"

Harry continued to look lost at the blonde Slytherin. She mentally concluded that Harry seemed completely clueless about pureblood traditions and customs. _"Well here's a chance for me to get ahead on that ruddy task"_ she thought before she added. "If you'd like, I could tutor you on Pure-Blood customs and traditions. Think of it as a gesture from a friend, you don't owe me anything for it" she offered, sending him a small smile.

Harry considered the offer briefly. On one hand, he couldn't really think of any reason why he would ever need the information. On the other hand, Daphne seemed willing to do it for nothing and that he would be able to get to know her a bit better, if only just to keep an eye on her. With a simple nod, he agreed to her proposal.

"Alright, I guess we could start when we get back to school" she asked.

"I'd like that" was the reply she received. With a small smile she asked "Are we finished? I'd like to get back inside"

Harry thought for a moment before he asked "Oh yeah one last question. On your last letter, you wrote a bunch of words after your name. What did they mean and why did you put them there?" he asked.

"The words are my family or house words, ' _Nos Metere Quod Non Seruerimus'._ Its Latin for 'we reap what we sow'." Daphne explained "Apparently, Alphard Greengrass, my house's founder, was a farmer who got famous saying that, so we used it as our motto"

Harry was intrigued by this. "Do many families have house words too? I don't remember Ron and his family having something like that" he asked.

Daphne's mind thought back to her many lessons on pureblood history and easily answered "No, only some noble houses have them. For example, the Noble and Ancient House of Black's family words are _'Toujours Pur'_ which means 'always pure'. On the other hand, Theodore's family, the Noble House of Nott, don't have a motto because they are too recent to have established any. Any other questions?" Harry shook his head before he replied "Thanks for the lecture, _Professor Greengrass_ " he said. Daphne gave him a wry smile as he stepped into the compartment once more. Daphne sighed as she wondered what she had gotten herself into before she followed him through.

* * *

Upon re-entering the compartment, the duo found themselves placed under scrutinizing stares. Hermione tried to unsuccessfully mask her contempt for the Slytherin as she alternately glared at Harry and Daphne. Ron didn't say anything though he gave badly concealed glances at the two. Unlike the two Gryffindors, Tracey didn't bother with masking her curiosity and simply stared at her best friend and the boy-who-just-walked-in.

Harry coughed slightly, shaking the others out of their thoughts. Tracey spoke first "So… what did you guys talk about?" she asked, her tone curious and her expression even more so. Daphne decided to respond before Harry said anything "Just a little about titles and pureblood things" she said casually. At Daphne's words, Hermione's gaze darkened. She tried to figure out her rival's motives but was unable to come up with anything substantial. Ron was curious about why his best friend would want to talk about something that boring but figured that he could ask later, deciding that he would like to focus on what came next. Tracey decided to press the issue "So how did that end up with you two almost kissing?" she asked, innocently.

Her words had the intended effect as Daphne started blushing while Harry looked confused as ever. "What?" he asked, looking towards Ron and Hermione for a clue at what was going on. Embarrassed, Daphne decided to temporarily put up her façade before she spoke again. "Well Weasley, Granger, it has been a good trip we have spent together! Tracey, let us depart post-haste!" she declared, dragging her giggling friend out with her. The two girls' conversation became muffled as they strode away, though Harry swore that he heard Daphne yell at Tracey as the brunette's giggles turned to laughter.

The messy haired Gryffindor turned back towards his friends in the compartment, who were now curiously staring at him. "What?" he asked, receiving no reply. "I didn't try to kiss Daphne!" he said, a few moments later. Ron and Hermione visibly relaxed at his words. "Well then what were you talking about, Harry?" asked Hermione, with a slight grin on her face. Ron perked up as he strove to hear what was being spoken of. Harry scratched the back of his head as he answered "It really wasn't much, I just asked Daphne if she hated Neville and she said something about him not acting like a pureblood lord or something."

Hermione processed this information before she spoke again "Well of course Neville doesn't act like one of those bigots! He's far too nice for that!" Hermione's demeanour had visibly gotten far more lively when the Slytherins had left the compartment. She spoke with immense vigor, as if she was extremely pleased about the recent discoveries. "Of course she'd think that wouldn't she? After all, she's one of them!" Hermione declared, staring directly at Harry.

The raven-haired boy was mildly shocked, having never seen his friend so eagerly denouncing another person, not even Pansy Parkinson or Malfoy had earned her ire in such a manner. Harry decided to poke the sleeping dragon, as would any Gryffindor, and asked "Hermione, why do you hate Daphne so much? Whenever I talk to her alone she seems alright but when you too are together, you seem like ... I dunno how to explain it but …" Harry paused in his speech. Ron had started looking at him curiously as Hermione gave him a surprised look. Harry continued "Basically, you two seem like you're fighting whenever you meet."

Hermione was shocked. She didn't speak but was waging a mental tirade. What had that bitch done to her best friend? Why was he against her all of a sudden? The visage of Daphne Greengrass' smirking face appeared in Hermione's mindscape as the Gryffindor shook her head. Relaxing herself slightly, Hermione answered. "Look Harry, I just really don't like Greengrass. She always acts like she is better than everyone else and she keeps flaunting her family status around. Honestly, she acts like Malfoy so much, I don't understand why they are never seen together!" Hermione turned towards the other occupant of the room. "Ron, don't you think so?"

Ron was surprised that Hermione had asked for his opinion so he gave it freely. "I dunno, Mione, Greengrass seems pretty uptight if you ask me but she isn't as bad as Malfoy"

Ron's response surprised both Harry and Hermione. They had both anticipated Ron to rancorously back Hermione's dislike of Daphne, for him to do so was like he was a completely different person. Hermione drew her wand and pointed it straight at Ron. "Who are you and what have you done with Ronald Weasley!" she said coldly. Ron's arms flew up in surrender. "Relax Hermione, it's me! I've known you since first year, we became friends after Harry and I saved you from the troll…" Ron babbled nervously. Hermione withdrew her wand but continued to look cautiously at Ron, who sighed a breath of relief.

"Look, I don't like the snakes but I'm at least willing to see if all of them are bad. After all, I sat alone with four of them for about half an hour last year and they didn't kill me so that has to count for something right?" he said with a nervous chuckle. Hermione looked unconvinced but returned to gazing out of the window, waiting for the train to reach Hogsmeade station.

* * *

"HUFFLEPUFF"

The table adjacent to the Slytherins loudly clapped in approval as Matthias Zayco was sorted into the yellow house. Daphne had long since tuned out the hall's various cheers and groans that came from the sorting. It wasn't that she didn't care about who got sorted into her house, rather that her mind was on something else. Dumbledore began to say something which Daphne couldn't hear over her thoughts. The feast then begun as Daphne picked up her cutlery to eat.

Beside Daphne, Theodore had spotted the faraway look on Daphne's face. The Nott scion frowned, wondering what had happened to cause the stoic Greengrass to act in such a manner. Daphne kept shooting glances at the Gryffindor table, particularly at the spot where the Golden Trio were sitting. Theo grimaced as he saw some of the other house members pick up on Daphne's gaze. " _Stand strong Daphne, don't lose ground in the house. You are important to what is to come"_ he thought to himself.

Suddenly, the food and drinks vanished from the tables as Dumbledore arose from his seat. The old man was in his white and gold robes that he always wore for occasions as such. With a booming voice, he silenced the hall in front of him. Few students opted to listen to the old man's speech, having heard it many a time before.

"… "It is also my painful duty to inform you that the Inter-House Quidditch Cup will not take place this year."

"WHAT?!" Immediately, the hall broke out in angry shouts from every table. Daphne jerked out of her internal debate, confused. A few seats away, the Slytherin Quidditch team were glaring daggers at the wizened man, particularly an enraged Graham Montague, who would have been team captain this year. Dumbledore paid no mind to the attention as he continued. By now, Daphne had her full attention on the headmaster as he continued to speak.

"This is due to an event that will be starting in October, and continuing throughout the school year, taking up much of the teachers' time and energy – but I am sure you will all enjoy it immensely. I have great pleasure in announcing that this year at Hogwarts–"

The old man was cut off by a flash of lightning from the ceiling. The storm outside roared as the great oak doors of the Great Hall flew open.

In walked a battered man with a travelling cloak. His face was a broken misshapen mess from years of fighting dark wizards and creatures alike. His thin grey hair swung around as he limped across the hall, a dull thump sounding every second step he took. On the Slytherin table, Tracey gave a start as she recognized the man who had just walked in. _"Grand-Uncle Alastor?"_ she thought _"What is he doing here?"_ The brunette was so engrossed in her questions that she didn't hear Dumbledore's next announcement about the Triwizard Tournament.

* * *

 _Spells used_

 _Reducto – Reductor Curse_

 _Accio – Summoning Charm_

 _Ignis Marchosias – Hellfire Curse a.k.a Fiendfyre_

 _Raipa – Uncategorized Lightning-Based Spell_

 _Vestigo – Tracking Charm_


	5. Chapter 5 - Of Ferrets and Nobility

_"Text"_ – Thoughts

" **Text"** – Spellcast

 _Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, JK Rowling does_

* * *

 _ **Chapter 5 – Of Ferrets and Nobility**_

 _Date: Friday, September 2_ _nd_ _1994_

 _Locations: Great Hall_

Tracey sighed as she sat down at the Slytherin table. It was almost dinnertime on the first day back at school and the workload seemed to have doubled again. History of Magic was as boring as usual as the ghost of Professor Cuthbert Binns kept droning on about the Goblin Rebellions, one of which had apparently witnessed in his long years of undeath. Unfortunately, the entire class seemed to have fallen asleep from the ghost's soporific tones and thus didn't gain anything from the class. Tracey shook her head to rid herself of her weariness as her best friend approached.

Daphne sat down daintily besides her best friend. The day had been tough for her as well but the blonde's mind was once again elsewhere. Tracey had never spoken in length about her 'Grand-Uncle Alastor', only mentioning him in passing. Apparently, the gnarled old man was a very well decorated ex-auror, a warrior who had captured many Death Eaters during the last war. Of course, his ability was only equalled by his knowledge network, which was rumoured to be from his close friendship with Dumbledore. Daphne had cornered Tracey to find out more about the enigmatic ex-auror but Tracey was unusually tight lipped about it. Daphne's thoughts collapsed as she heard her name addressed.

"Sorry Roper. What did you say again?" she asked, turning towards the raven haired girl next to her.

Sophie gave the blonde a shy smile and simply pointed towards the entrance to the hall. Sophie Roper was a plainly dressed girl with a narrow frame and a petite face. Unlike Tracey's almost perpetual joyfulness or Daphne's cool and intellectual attitude, Sophie didn't really have a persona amongst the Slytherin girls. The raven-haired girl simply contented herself with staying in the shadows, following when necessary but ultimately working alone most often. This attitude allowed her to keep cordial relationships with most people but very few intimate ones.

Sophie was gesturing towards the Golden Trio; who Draco was seemingly conversing with. The blond Slytherin was waving around a newspaper which was too difficult to read from the distance, though it was obvious that Weasley was angry at Ron. Tracey and Daphne got off their seats to see what the commotion was. Harry was retorting at Draco, causing the male Slytherin to go pink.

The moment Harry turned away from his arch-rival, Draco raised his wand. Steadying it against the back of his enemy, he prepared to fire a stinging hex. Daphne's eyes widened as she quickly drew her wand.

" **Aculeat–"** he incanted, but was interrupted by Daphne's superior speed

" **Expelliarmus!"** she cried, firing the red beam towards her housemate.

With that clash, the hawthorn wand that belonged to Draco Malfoy soared across the door into Daphne's waiting hand. She gave the other Slytherin an icy glare, which made Draco pale. He was about to speak when a roaring bang interrupted the exchange.

"OH NO YOU DON'T LADDIE!"

Professor Moody limped down the staircase to the amazement of everyone. With surprising agility, he rushed over to Harry and as he asked "Did he get you?" Moody growled. His voice was low and gravelly.

"No," said Harry, "missed."

"LEAVE IT!" Moody shouted.

"Leave … what?" Harry asked, completely bewildered.

"Not you - him!" Moody growled, gesturing towards Crabbe, who was about to pick up the ferret. The boy had frozen at the man's words before he ran off towards the dungeons, narrowly followed by Goyle and the ferret.

"I don't think so!" roared the ex-auror, pointing his wand at the ferret again. With a great showing of the bouncing charm, Moody levitated the ferret upwards as he began to speak again. "I don't like people who attack when their opponent's back's turned" snarled Moody as he moved the ferret up and down with greater viciousness. "Stinking, cowardly, scummy thing to do..."

The ferret was squealing in discomfort as it was powerless to stop the wizard's manipulations. "Never. Do. That. Again." said Moody, emphasising each word by smashing the ferret to the ground.

The display went on for a while longer before Professor McGonagall arrived on the scene. "Professor Moody!" she cried in alarm. "What are you doing?" The man looked towards the transfiguration mistress and calmly greeted her "Hello Professor McGonagall". McGonagall's eyes watched as the ferret kept bouncing higher and higher, causing her to gasp in horror "Is that a student?!" she yelped, looking incredulously at Moody, who simply replied with "Yep"

With a loud sound of discontent, Professor McGonagall brandished her wand, causing a loud snapping noise and turning the writhing ferret into an equally disgruntled Draco Malfoy. If the situation were less serious, the hall would have erupted into laughter, however, the domineering presence of Moody and McGonagall had depleted the students of their usual attitude.

"Professor Moody, we never use transfiguration as punishment! Surely Dumbledore has told you that!" shouted McGonagall, not caring about how many people were watching this exchange.

"Yeah, he might have mentioned it." Moody said, almost lazily. Tracey's eyes narrowed at his tone. Moody would never speak like this, what was going on?

"We give detentions, Moody! Or speak to the offender's Head of House!"

"I'll do that, then," said Moody, staring at Draco with disgust. "Your Head of House is Snape, yes?" he asked

"Yes" Draco diminutively spoke

"Good! An old friend of mine. I've been looking forward to a chat with him" with this, Moody dragged Draco up as he looked at the students that had gathered around them. His gaze forwent Tracey but momentarily stopped at Daphne as he said. "Good use of the disarming charm, lass, five points to Slytherin" his magical eye gave her the feeling of being looked straight though, making her shiver unconsciously. With that, he dragged Draco towards the dungeons, leaving a stunned crowd behind him. McGonagall was shocked but told the crowd to disperse.

Tracey stood frozen for a few moments as the Trio walked towards her and Daphne. Tracey's thoughts were racing and she ignored Hermione and Ron's greetings. Granduncle Moody was acting quite strangely, even for him. He would never use _transfiguration_ of all things as punishment, his hobby was more likely to fire hexes at the victim for a while, anyone in the family knew that! Tracey was confused and didn't want to find out why.

Daphne and Hermione shared a cool look at each other before Harry greeted her. "Hey Greengrass! Thanks for disarming Malfoy for me, I couldn't have done anything." The girl in question gave him a small smile as she answered "It's fine, anyone would do the same" she said with a glance at the bushy haired Gryffindor.

Hermione had enough of the conversation and decided to drag an unusually quiet Ron towards the Gryffindor table. Harry turned to follow his friends but felt a small rustle in his back pocket. He reached in and dug out a small note written in a familiar aristocratic penmanship.

 _Dear Potter,_

 _If you want to have your lessons on pureblood customs and traditions, meet me in classroom 4A on Monday at eight._

 _Greengrass_

Harry's lips upturned slightly as he pocketed the note and re-joined Ron and Hermione.

* * *

Daphne walked back to the Slytherin table, which was now jam packed with all kinds of foods. Sitting beside Tracey and Sophie once again, she put some beef casserole on her plate and began to eat. Looking to her left, Tracey was being completely silent, slowly eating the dishes in front of her. Daphne wondered what was eating at her friend but decided to not press the issue turning back to her meal.

Sophie chose this moment to speak with Daphne once more. "So, Greengrass, you have been seen with Potter quite often recently." Daphne frowned but kept silent, instead choosing to mimic Tracey. Sophie however was unusually impatient to get this piece of gossip and whispered at Daphne "I know you sat with the Golden trio twice on the Hogwarts Express and you were seen with them at the World Cup." Daphne raised an eyebrow, this was not news to her.

Exasperated but undeterred, Sophie added "You were whispering to him a moment ago, was that you arranging a rendezvous with the golden boy?" she asked. Daphne was unable to stop herself from twitching, causing the raven-haired girl to break out into a wide grin. Frustrated, Daphne glared at Sophie, receiving a smirk in return. Sighing slightly, Daphne continued to ignore Sophie, instead trying to make conversation with Tracey.

"Fine, I'll just spread the rumour that I know of" Sophie said, throwing down an ultimatum. When this didn't appear to faze the blonde, Sophie's intrigue increased even more but knew it would be pointless to continue.

Across the table, Theodore and Pansy listened to the exchange in curiosity. They had, of course, heard the rumours but for Greengrass to confirm them was interesting. The two Slytherins quickly ate her meal before they independently excused themselves to return the common room for the night, each to plot on their own.

* * *

 _Date: Monday, September 5_ _th_ _1994_

 _Location: Fourth-Floor Corridor_

Daphne ducked into a broom cupboard quickly for the third time this night. She waited a few moments before leaving the cupboard. Quietly sneaking towards the fourth floor, Daphne kept a keen lookout for her housemates wandering around the hallways. She suddenly stopped as a group of fifth year Slytherins had just wandered into her hearing range. She flattened herself on the wall across her destination as the students passed, holding her breath. Before long, she was certain that no-one was around as she slipped into classroom 4C.

She placed the heavy book she was carrying on the desk before she walked around the old classroom, quietly admiring the classroom's ornate decorations. Ancient-looking paintings and patterns adorned the classroom ceiling, all the various house married together in a mixture of vibrant artwork. Daphne tried to make sense what she was looking at as she waited.

And waited.

And waited some more.

She casted the time charm, her wand flashing a blue '20:16' Irritated, she began to leave, annoyed that Potter had decided to not come … again. Highly irritated now, she strode out of the classroom deep in her thoughts. She had almost made it out the doorway when she collided with a quickly moving invisible object. With a yelp, she was knocked backwards onto the floor. Disconcerted momentarily, Daphne groaned as she lay on the floor, her wand flung a few feet away from her.

A low moan sounded from the space in front of her.

Snapping back into focus, Daphne quickly rolled to her side, grabbing her wand. With a few flicks, jabs and twirls, Daphne casted four detection charms at the space, finding that there was a person there.

"Show yourself!" Daphne hissed "I know you are there"

The space distorted briefly as two disembodied hands shot out of thin air, waving around in a frenzy.

Daphne immediately bit down a scream of terror, instead using a stinging hex at the space in front of her. **"Aculeatum!"** she cried, firing a white flash towards her target. The limbs quickly disappeared before the spell hit, though it collided with something in mid-air. Daphne prepared another spell, intending to damage the target further when the space distorted once again, revealing a messy haired head with circular spectacles.

Harry writhed as he disentangled himself from … something. Daphne lowered her wand, panting slightly at the ordeal. She looked closer but couldn't see what the Gryffindor was wearing over his school uniform, just that it was there.

"Sorry I'm late, give me a moment" he said, as he rose something over his head, momentarily disappearing again before throwing down a rapidly reappearing piece of shimmering cloth in between the two. With a gasp of surprise, Daphne recognized the invisibility cloak in front of her.

"Where did you get one of these?" she asked "They aren't illegal but they are incredibly rare, especially one that repels basic spells"

Harry thought for a moment. He really didn't want to talk about one of the only things his father left him so he chose his words carefully before he replied "It's sort of a family heirloom" He glanced at Daphne, who was dusting herself off while giving a curious gaze at the cloak. Her eyes widened as realization dawned on her.

"The Potter Family cloak! My mother used to tell me stories about the 'Marauders' in Hogwarts … I'm guessing you know about them?" she said awe splashed across her face. Harry's expression was shocked as he gaped at the girl in front of him, to which Daphne smiled.

"Yes, I know about your father's little group" she said, smirking at Harry's surprised look "My mother was in their year."

Harry's shock quickly turned into excitement as he asked "Did your mother know my parents well?"

"Other than being affected by James Potter's irritating pranks, I don't believe they interacted much. Your mother didn't interact with any Slytherins other than Professor Snape so…" she paused at Harry's incredulous look.

" _SNAPE KNEW MY MOM?!"_

Daphne looked curiously at the boy in front of her gaping like a fish. "I thought you knew" she confessed. Harry took a breath to calm himself, creating a pause in the conversation. With a sudden thought, he turned cautious for a moment. "Did you know about Professor Lupin?"

"Remus Lupin, Peter Pettigrew, Sirius Black and James Potter. The inseparable Gryffindor quartet, bane of all Slytherins and most notably my Head of House, Professor Snape. I believe I told you I knew about them"

Harry gave a small sigh of relief _"Good, she doesn't know about Lupin's furry little problem"_ he thought as he turned back to the blonde in front of him. He was about to ask more about his parents before Daphne interjected. "I don't know any more about them. If you must, I can send you a letter to my mother or Tracey's parents. Besides, we came here for your lessons." She said, to which Harry nodded. "By the way, you really shouldn't trust someone who just drops a note into your pocket to tell you to go somewhere, it could be a trap" Daphne remarked.

Harry frowned and replied "Well, if you were planning on trapping me, you probably wouldn't have given me so much time to think about it. Plus, Ron knows I'm here. He can call for help if I don't show up back on time." Daphne nodded in understanding, silently slightly surprised at Harry's forethought.

The blonde walked over to the desk in the room, picking up the book she had placed on the table and broke the illusion charm she had on it. Slowly, the blank, brown leather cover of the book began to shimmer. A few intricate shapes appeared on the edges of the book, each the sigil of the Noble and Most Ancient Houses. A gaudy gold text began to write itself onto the book, portraying the words 'PURE BLOOD DIRECTORY' lavishly on the front cover. Below it was an intrinsically written _'Count Stean Trank'_. Harry peered curiously at the lurid book cover as Daphne began to speak.

"I feel that we should start from the beginning, because I don't really think you know much about the wizarding world in general" she glanced at Harry who didn't respond. Turning the cover and a few yellow pages, her hand fell onto the contents of the book. "Do you know what a noble house is?" she asked, receiving a negative reply. Sighing slightly, Daphne explained "It is a little difficult to explain fully what I mean and so I will explain further as you learn more. In short, a noble house is a family that has been granted special privileges such as land and resources by the Wizengamot. The head of a noble house is given the title 'Lord' or 'Lady' and their spouse is given the other title." Daphne opened the book as she continued.

"We will read through the book and I will give you a small overview of those Houses. We don't have enough time to get through every single noble house of wizarding England, let alone the entirety of wizarding Britain so I will just pick some of the more important ones. Also save your questions for until I say so, is that alright?" Harry merely nodded at her words, still captivated by the magical book.

Daphne sighed as she began to flick to a page with four very familiar crests emblazoned on it. The lion, serpent, badger and eagle of the Hogwarts four gleamed back at Harry, each looking as impassioned and powerful as each other. Between the sigils, the words _'The Noble and Most Ancient Houses´_ were written in a rich navy blue ink.

"So, these are the Noble and Most Ancient Houses, naturally including the Hogwarts' founders, as well as some other houses such as the Blacks, the Peverells and the Pendragons. These houses were founded before the establishment of the Wizengamot in 1407 and as such became the founders of the organization. However, as many of these old houses have died out in recent times, the Noble and Ancient Houses make up the majority of wizarding Britain's nobility." Daphne gave a glance at Harry "You following so far?" to which Harry nodded

Daphne then turned a few pages to another two-page spread which was covered with coats-of-arms. "These are the Noble and Ancient Houses, all houses that were founded and ennobled after the Wizengamot's establishment but before the founding of the Ministry of Magic in 1707. My family House, the House of Greengrass, was founded in 1500, so we are classified as such." Daphne paused momentarily, allowing the pride in her voice to fade. "Some of our year-mates also belong to houses with this classification, including Neville Longbottom, Ernest Macmillan and Sally-Anne Perks." Harry nodded, though stopped himself from asking question yet.

Daphne continued by turning to the last section in the book, pointing at the section titled _'Noble Houses'_. "These are noble houses that were ennobled after the Ministry's formation. Some of these houses are foreign, such as the Malfoys or the Lestranges. As you know, Draco and Theo are both part of Noble Houses." Daphne thought for a moment and decided to add "Oh, and also, these houses are generally quite wealthy, which is rumoured why they were able to attain 'noble' status despite their heritage." Harry had a surprised expression but refrained from commenting yet.

Turning back to the contents page of the directory, Daphne looked at Harry once again and studied his expression. His face was easily readable, a mixture of surprise, curiosity and astonishment was etched on his face. "Can I ask questions now?"

"You may" she answered

"Why does Draco act like he owns the place? I mean, I know he is a pampered ponce but from what you said, his family isn't that high on the wizarding pecking order?" he blurted out, causing Daphne to wince at the word choice.

Collecting her thoughts, Daphne spoke with a level of distaste "Why Draco acts as he does is for a few reasons. First of all, while there are many Noble and Ancient houses, quite a few of them do not hold much influence, usually because they aren't as rich. That brings us to the next reason, which is because of the Malfoy family's current riches and clout. Lucius Malfoy makes a habit of throwing lavish parties and donating large sums to the Ministry to flaunt his wealth. The latter also gives him considerable influence over the Minister himself, which is a connection the family abuses considerably" she said, almost spitting out the last part in disgust. "The third reason is actually a topic I was planning on discussing on a future date, the topic of succession laws. In short, it is believed that Draco is not simply the heir apparent to the House of Malfoy, but also the heir apparent of the House of Black." Harry's eyes narrowed.

"Though, rumor has it that Draco has never claimed heirship of the House of Black, which is quite strange. The only way I think that could occur is if another more suitable heir was available, but since Regulus Black is dead and Sirius Black is a criminal, neither of them are legible" Harry's eyes widened at her words and another question came tumbling out of his mouth. "Why does being a criminal affect Sirius Black's legibility as an heir?"

Daphne looked puzzled at Harry's intense curiosity and decided to mull over the information later. "Criminals are not allowed to be heads of house, that is part of magical law, another topic that I was planning to discuss later" Harry looked contemplative as he nodded at Daphne's words.

"Any more questions?"

"Not for the moment" he replied

"Good. Now I will give you an overview of some of the most important houses. Let's begin with the House of Baratheon …"

* * *

"And that's why the Notts were considered part of the Sacred Twenty-Eight" Daphne said, closing the book.

The pair had already been sitting for about an hour and half discussing the noble houses. Harry had been astounded by how rich and deep wizarding history actually was, unlike the boring, incomprehensible drivel that he was subjugated to every History of Magic class.

"Theo's grandfather was a really sly person wasn't he?" Harry mused, his mind trying to form an image of an elderly Theodore Nott. "Well, many magical authors use pen-names or ghost write books, so it isn't a strange occurrence. Though, the fact that Cantankerus used a muggle lord's title as his penname is what really threw people off him." Daphne replied, admiring the shrewdness of the late magical historian. She decided to check up on the time and gasped in shock.

"Potter! It's almost curfew, we need to get back now!"

While Daphne was frantic, Harry couldn't be more relaxed. The girl looked suspiciously at her companion before she stood up. "Well I'm going back now. Unlike you I don't have any way of concealing myself against anyone and I for one do not want to lose points for my house" she declared haughtily. Harry gave her a small smile as he stood up as well.

"Thanks Greengrass, for the lesson. I really learnt a lot" he nervously chuckled as Daphne thoughts _"Well you should have, after all, I'm teaching"_. Instead she simply smirked and said. "Wednesday, same time and place. I hold you to not being late again, _Mr. Potter_ "

"Of course, _Professor Greengrass_ " he replied cheekily. At this, Harry turned to walk out of the room but was stopped by a curt voice-clear behind him. Curious he spun around towards an annoyed Daphne. "What?" he asked, clueless at the reason for her irritation.

Daphne's look darkened imperceptibly but softened almost instantaneously afterwards "Harry, when a pure-blooded witch and wizard conclude a meeting, the wizard is supposed to escort the witch back to her dwellings" she said, slightly irritated at herself for not mentioning this sooner. Harry shrugged and simply said "Muggles do something similar too but usually it happens after a date or something" Harry continued to look confused as Daphne's face flushed. "Alright, I'll take you back, we both can probably fit under the cloak together anyways" he added. Daphne nodded and walked up to Harry as he pulled out the ancient cloth from his robes. "You'll probably have to stick close to me for this to work" Daphne wriggled a little, uncomfortable at being in such close proximity with a boy as Harry covered them both with the cloak and they silently departed from the room.

The corridors were silent as curfew was almost upon them. Daphne found that Harry was much stealthier than she realized as he silently roamed the corridors, while her own footsteps could still be heard faintly. The duo had arrived at the mouth of the dungeons when Daphne stopped her companion.

"Alright Harry, it's as far as you go. I am not going to risk revealing where the Slytherin common room is to an outsider" she stepped out of the cloak and was about to leave when Harry spoke up. "It's on the stone wall mirroring the painting of Linfred of Stinchcombe"

Harry's casual tone shocked Daphne as he answered her unsaid question "I have my ways" Daphne continued to look at the empty space in front of her as she heard a soft rustle, signifying Harry's departure. The blonde Slytherin walked quietly towards her common room, softly whispering the password ( _BASILISK_ ) and walked into the room. The Slytherin common room was dimly lit by green lamps and an emerald fire which glowed softly. The decorations and furniture was covered in green and silver, with many paintings of historic Slytherins adorning the walls.

Daphne walked through the room silently, ignoring the few greetings that she was offered from other members of her house. She quietly walked into the corridor that housed her dormitory and strode in, flopping down on her bed. Her mind was at work trying to understand how in the name of Salazar did Harry Potter know where the Slytherin dungeon was located?

"Well, you've been gone a while"

Daphne groaned as she looked up towards Tracey's smirking face. "What are you doing in my room, Tracey" she moaned. The Slytherin and Ravenclaw dormitories were structured differently from the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff dorms. While the latter two houses valued teamwork and loyalty, the former two focused on ambition and ability. As such, it was decreed by Salazar and Rowena themselves to make individual rooms for each of their students, rather than having a single large dormitory for every student of a gender and year.

"You left the common room quickly after dinner and took your family's copy of the pureblood directory with you." Tracey recounted "Anything to say, Queenie?" she asked. Daphne shot a glare at her best friend for using that name as she answered. "Yes, yes I went to see Potter, happy?"

"Haven't you graduated from Potter to Harry yet, Daphne?" teased Tracey, causing the blonde to get incensed. "Alright, alright, I'll stop"

Daphne sighed as she recounted what she had done, going into detail while ignoring Tracey's occasional remarks and grin. After a while, the brunette decided to tune out part of what her friend said, because honestly, Daphne could really run her mouth some times.

"… and then he said that he knew where our common room was and …"

Tracey's jaw dropped as Daphne finished with her monologue. Daphne looked queerly at her best friend as the shorter girl asked "HOW?"

"Weren't you listening? He just said 'I have my ways' and vanished with that cloak of his" Daphne replied, exasperated

"Cloak?" came Tracey's eloquently asked question

"The Potter family clock, Trace. Your father was right." Daphne said, irritated that Tracey didn't listen to her. It really wasn't the blonde's fault that she liked to talk was it? It wasn't as if she was speaking out of turn.

Tracey recomposed herself and sat up straighter. Pulling out two galleons, she grumbled "Guess I owe you two galleons then. Dang it, I thought I was going to pull one on you for once."

Daphne looked blankly at the offered money before she remembered what it meant "I lost the bet Trace, he barely knew anything about his parents." She dipped her hands into her trunk and tossed Tracey the coins. "Here"

Tracey caught the gold coins without much difficulty as she asked "How did he get the cloak then? He must have gotten it from his vault or something?"

"I don't know Tracey"

* * *

 _Location: Gryffindor Tower_

Harry strode swiftly yet silently across the corridors, easily avoiding all teachers and prefects who roamed the hallways. He silently congratulated himself for finally toppling the almost perfect composure that Daphne held (those times when she would randomly go red didn't count, he had no idea why they happened). He quietly slipped into the Gryffindor common room. The room was very spacious, with many bright lamps and a roaring fire which dominated a wall. Many comfortable couches and tables littered the room's floor, providing good space for the young lions to work or socialize. Harry found himself greeted by various people, as per usual, and returned the pleasantries kindly before heading into his dorm.

As he entered, he noticed Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnegan surrounding Ron as they were asking him questions. Ron looked highly nervous and confused as he responded to his dorm-mates' queries.

"… that's when I last saw her before today I swear!" Ron exclaimed. Seamus and Dean looked at each other for a moment, unconvinced but was interrupted by Ron noticing Harry's presence.

"Harry! How was your meeting with Greengrass?" Immediately, Dean and Seamus rushed at Harry, badgering the messy haired boy with questions.

"You're with Daphne Greengrass?!" asked Seamus incredulously

"No! We're ju–"

"Friends with benefits! Oh Harry, you sly dog!" declared Dean, interrupting Harry

"NO! She met me to tea–"

"You really move fast don't ya, Harry! Snatching up one of the fittest birds in our year before the rumors even form!" professed Seamus in an impressed and awestruck voice.

Dean and Seamus gave Harry matching nods of approval as he looked on exasperatedly. Ron gave Harry an uneasy smile as he intervened for his best friend. "Oh come off him Dean, Seamus. Harry was just getting taught pureblood crap by Greengrass, nothing more." Dean and Seamus rounded on Ron.

"Did _Tracey_ tell you that?" asked Seamus, a hint of teasing in his voice.

Ron's face reddened imperceptibly as his expression turned exasperated "I told you, we're just friends!"

"The way she talked to you in Care didn't say so" retorted Dean.

"She said bye to me and that was it!" argued Ron, flustered at his friends' persistence.

Dean and Seamus shared a mutual laugh at the expense of Ron as Neville walked into the room. Curious, he asked "What are we talking about?"

Before either Harry or Ron could intervene Seamus spoke up "We were just talking about how Harry and Ron bagged two Slytherin birds over the summer."

Neville's eyes opened in shock as realization dawned on his face "I didn't realize you were so close with Daphne, Harry" he said softly as he turned to Ron. "Who are you and what have you done with Ronald Weasley?" he asked, slightly firmly. "The Ronald Weasley I know would never touch a Slytherin."

Ron held up his hands in response, his gaze wandering worriedly to Neville's undrawn wand. After a few terse moments later, the blond haired boy broke out into a smile "Relax Ron, I was just messing with you" The room's occupants all stared at Neville in slight shock. The Longbottom Heir had grown somewhat over the summer, having lost some of his baby fat in expense for greater musculature and height. It seemed his self-esteem had grown as well.

Ron grumbled about 'déjà vu' and 'puberty' as he lowered his arms. The room's occupants sniggered for a while until Harry yawned. The yawning effect occurred and soon everyone began to feel the sandman's embrace on the room

"Well tonight's been fun!" yawned Dean "I'm knackered now though. G'night guys"

"Good Night Dean" replied Neville

"Night" said Seamus

"Night Dean" added Harry

"ZZZ" snored Ron, causing the others to snicker as they drifted off into sleep.

* * *

Hermione sat inside her dorm studying. She would do this occasionally, usually when the common room's seats were occupied and the library was not accessible. Fully engrossed in her studies on the applications of the severing charm, she didn't notice when her dorm's door swung open as Lavender Brown and Parvati walked in.

"… still can't believe Tracey Davis was talking to Ron Weasley!" said Parvati excitedly

"I know right! I thought he would hit her or something but he actually replied to her! He is so in love with her!" Lavender gushed in an equally enthusiastic voice.

Hermione's head flung upwards in that instant. "WHAT?" she cried, causing the other two girls to look at her in surprise.

"Oh hi Hermione, how're you doing?" asked Lavender

Hermione held up her Herbology textbook as she replied "Ron was talking to Tracey? When?"

"It was after Care of Magical Creatures, weren't you there Hermione?" replied Parvati. Hermione thought for a moment. Of course she was present at the inaugural CoMC class where Hagrid introduced the manticore and fire crab hybrid 'blast-ended skrewts'. However, try as she might, Hermione couldn't remember when Ron had spoken to Tracey.

Watching Hermione's contemplative look, Lavender spoke up. "Wow Hermione, next thing you're going to tell us is that Harry and Daphne Greengrass haven't been talking."

Hermione's eyes opened wide as saucers as she hastily got her expression under control However, her attempt was in failure as both Lavender and Parvati saw her change in expression. "No way!" said Lavender "You didn't know?"

"Wait a minute, if even Hermione doesn't know…" said Parvati, thinking aloud

"That means that they've been trying to keep it secret" Lavender deducted.

"Kyaaa!" the girls squealed as they came to the same conclusion. Hermione looked mortified at the facts she had heard and her expression was once again taken note of by the gossip queens before her.

"Oh. My. Gosh! Hermione is jealous!" crooned Lavender, causing Hermione to deny the accusation. "No, No! I don't like Harry, I like…" Hermione barely caught herself as Lavender and Parvati rounded on her again.

"WHO?" they simultaneously cried, causing the bushy haired bookworm to crawl backwards on her bed. The two continued to pester Hermione until Fay Dunbar and Kellah Runcorn came in to sleep. With a resigned sigh, Lavender and Parvati ceased their interrogation as the crawled into bed and went to sleep. Hermione lay in her bed awake as her dorm-mates slumbered, awake and with a purpose. Hermione Jean Granger was going to save her best friends from the Slytherins who wanted to tear them apart!

* * *

 _Spells used:_

 _Aculeatum – Stinging Hex_

 _Expelliarmus – Disarming Charm_


	6. Chapter 6 - Hogwarts Days

_A/N: Sorry this took so long to post but here is the latest instalment! Also, Happy (Belated) Chinese New Year and Valentines Day!_

" _Text"_ – Thoughts

" **Text"** – Spellcast

* * *

 _ **Chapter 6 – Hogwarts Days**_

 _Date: Monday, September 19_ _th_ _1994_

 _Location: Classroom 7A_

Daphne sighed softly as she finished her final class of the day, Arithmancy with Professor Septima Vector. The class itself is exceedingly complex, using a combination of muggle mathematics and wizarding knowledge to develop and understand the many intricacies of magic itself. Fields such as Divination, Charms, Transfiguration and even wandmaking all hold roots in the subject, as many of the theories that govern these subjects are first found in Arithmancy. That is not, however, to say that numbers themselves have magical properties. Rather that they reflect patterns that have implications in both muggle mathematics and wizarding magic. Daphne had been floored by the detailed explanation Professor Vector had first given her class last year, an amazement that continued throughout the year to the present. Despite her misgivings about the professor, Daphne still held the arithmancer in high regard.

As she walked out of the classroom, she was stopped by an unwelcome voice. "Greengrass" said one Hermione Granger, who stared right at the blonde, her brown eyes attempting to pierce the façade that her nemesis held. Daphne returned the look, doing her best to mask the irritation and dislike she had for the girl in front of her. The two's staring contest persisted for a brief while until Hermione looked down, muttering "Happy Birthday" and walking off quickly. Daphne smirked at this. _"Well at least she has the courtesy to return a greeting … even if it did take two whole hours_ " she thought. Of course, Daphne had given Hermione a polite well-wishing right before class had started, thus disallowing the rule-abiding Gryffindor from being able to answer until then. _"Serves her right for stopping me from completing my task"_ Granger had been almost joined to the hip of Harry and Ron over the past few weeks, a fact that highly irked Daphne, even though Tracey pointed out that the Golden Trio was like that usually.

Tracey had finished packing up her belongings and followed Daphne out of the room into the corridor. "So Daphne, what have you got planned for your birthday? Or are you just going to spend most of your night with Potter again?" she asked. In the two weeks that passed, Daphne and Harry had met up for a few nights for their sessions, though Harry had to cancel a few times for reasons he didn't want to say. Daphne didn't need to be a genius to figure out that Granger was interfering in some way.

What was worse was that the Hogwarts rumor mill had somehow gotten wind of their sessions, leading to many a brave person trying to get information out of her. Some of the older Slytherins had not-too-subtly expressed their disapproval, but had refrained from outright challenging the Greengrass heir on the matter, while students from other houses came to her to flat out ask her if she was dating the boy-who-lived.

Daphne pursed her lips as she recalled the first of many annoying encounters with nosy students. It had been a mousy haired Gryffindor, who seemed too eager for his own good. Caught surprised, Daphne had given him her signature cold-stare which had made the boy run in fear. However, he was by no means the last person to do so.

Some lions had even been daring enough to try and ambush her, though her training had allowed her to predict and avoid them. She was broken out of her thoughts by Tracey, who repeated her question.

"How I spend my birthday is up to myself" Daphne said, sniffing haughtily. Tracey made a face and proceeded to comment "Really though, you spend so many nights with the boy-who-lived and you don't ask him about anything? Are you a Slytherin or not?" she asked in a slightly mocking tone.

"I don't need to ask Potter anything to gather information about him." She retorted "For instance, I know that he favours his right side in general, which means that striking at him from the left is better. He possesses an intuitive intelligence rather than a logical one and thus can learn some things far quicker than others without fully understanding it" she finished with a triumphant smirk.

Tracey was unconvinced and asked "Alright, Ms 'I-know-so-much-without-asking', tell me this. What is Harry Potter's favourite food?" Daphne froze and replied "That is a rubbish question, how would I know what he likes to eat? How is that relevant anyway?"

Tracey ignored her friend's indignant response and asked again "Alright, then what does Potter like about flying?" Daphne stood dumbfounded as Tracey continued "Don't know? What about–"

"Alright, Alright I understand. My question still stands however. How is any of this relevant?" Daphne interjected, looking irritated at being outplayed by Tracey. The brunette simply sighed and answered her "Isn't your task to become friends with Potter?" she asked, ignoring Daphne's muttered "get influence over not become friends with". Tracey continued "My point is, you need to become friends with him to complete your task, I thought your 'lessons' were supposed to help with that?"

Daphne frowned and replied "Those lessons are so that he owes me a favour for the future, wouldn't that get me influence over him?" she asked questioningly. Tracey almost snorted in amusement "First of all, more friends means more allies. That is probably your dad's goal" she said, with an air of intellectuality. "Second, one favour isn't going to get you influence over anyone Daph. Plus, Potter is nice, unlike so many people we know." Tracey finished, her tone dropping to one of veiled disgust. Daphne sighed once more and replied

"Alright fine, I'll talk to Potter after our lesson tonight. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to get to learning that spell and figuring out how I am to get my chocolate today" Daphne acquiesced, sniffing slightly. Tracey gave her friend a small grin as an idea popped into her mind.

"Actually Daphne, I have an errand to run, I'll see you back in the common room" she said before dashing off, leaving the blonde alone on the seventh floor corridor.

* * *

"So that's why Nott is…" Harry said still reeling in slight shock

"Yeah" replied Daphne who glanced at the Gryffindor's expression with amusement.

"I almost feel bad for his brothers…" Harry said, his voice and face almost distant.

"Don't be," Daphne affirmed "They're massive prats"

"True" Harry agreed, nodding. Daphne smiled softly as she closed the red book they had been reading.

"Anyways, that concludes the topic of inheritance laws" Daphne finished. With this, she heaved a small sigh of relief. The many facets of wizarding inheritance could get really complex, though it had been greatly simplified over the years. Harry looked contemplative as he put away his notes that he had taken on Daphne's insistence.

"Thanks for everything, Greengrass. I'm still a bit surprised that inheritance by conquest doesn't exist" he said, stretching a bit as he continued "Otherwise, I could have gotten the title 'Heir of Slytherin' from Voldemort when I beat him as a baby". Daphne shivered at the usage of the dark wizard's nomenclature, causing Harry to frown. "You really shouldn't do that, Dumbledore says that being in fear of something gives it power over you" he professed, causing Daphne to raise an eyebrow.

"Well Dumbledore isn't always right you know" she said snarkily. Harry frowned once more and continued to defend the headmaster.

"Dumbledore is the greatest wizard of our age, he was the only one Voldemort was afraid of" he said, ignoring Daphne's involuntary shiver once more. "He also hold a bunch of titles which seem really important."

Daphne snorted and said "He holds the titles of Chief Warlock, meaning that he is the head of the Wizengamot, the rank of Supreme Mugwump, which means he is the leader of the International Confederation of Wizards or ICW. He also holds the title of Grand Sorcerer of Britain, which means that he is supposedly the strongest wizard in Britain. You already know about his headmastership so I don't need to explain that" she said, drawing a deep breath after the long explanation.

Harry looked confused for a moment as he asked "Doesn't that just prove my point? I mean –"

"That's exactly why Dumbledore isn't as great a person he seems" interjected Daphne, causing Harry's brow to furrow as she continued "Think about it this way. Dumbledore holds three of the most important titles a wizard can hold, headmaster of Hogwarts, Chief Warlock and Supreme Mugwump. That's three different political positions he has to take, meaning that he has a lot of work from each title he holds." Harry nodded as he motioned for Daphne to continue

"That creates two problems. First, how can he focus on any one of those positions properly? As headmaster, he has to oversee every single student in the castle, as well as all the curriculum and faculty problems that may arise from day-to-day events. As Chief Warlock, he has to guide and negotiate between the various lords that make up the Wizengamot, a group of politically minded people who are essentially split in three factions." Harry nodded in recognition as Daphne said "We covered this a few sessions ago. Lastly, as Supreme Mugwump, he has to oversee pretty much the entirety of the wizarding world and promote international cooperation. That's a topic even I don't know much about but you can probably guess that it means a lot of work" Daphne admitted.

"The second problem is all the politics he has to play. Three different stations mean three different stances, not to mention all the secrets he has to keep, power plays he has to execute and all that riff-raff. A man with that many secrets shouldn't be trusted easily" Daphne finished. As Harry digested the information, Daphne thought to herself _"I probably should also mention that he is biased against purebloods, Slytherins and foreigners to an extent but I don't want Potter's brain to explode_ "

Harry looked contemplative for a moment before he spoke again "That's…a lot to take in. Thanks Greengrass, I've got quite a lot to think about" he said. A thought suddenly popped into his head. "Oh yeah, I almost forgot," he exclaimed as he took out something from bag and handed it to Daphne. The blonde looked at the wrapped package curiously as she took it. "It's a few bars of Honeydukes' finest" he said, scratching the back of his head "I got it as a gift, since it's your birthday. Sorry I couldn't get anything better, it was kinda on short notice"

Daphne was shocked. She quickly resisted the urge to tear open and eat the confection at that instant as she asked "How did you get this? Hogsmeade weekend isn't for another few weeks!" Harry simply smiled and said "I have my ways" but did not elaborate. With this, Daphne put the chocolate in her own moleskin pouch and the two headed to the Slytherin Dungeon where they parted, each mulling over what had been spoken about in the session.

* * *

 _Date: Tuesday, October 3_ _rd_ _1994_

 _Location: Potions Classroom_

The fourth year Gryffindors and Slytherins shuffled around awkwardly as they awaited the potions master's arrival. Among them, Hermione was alert, standing in a flanking position that would block Daphne and Tracey from approaching her best friends. The bookworm felt that her plan had been largely successful for the past month or so. Daphne had rarely approached her and her friends at all, only talking in class. Tracey had been a little more difficult to stop but the brunette Slytherin had pretty much limited herself to greeting the trio rather than engaging in full conversation.

"Enter" sounded Professor Snape's voice as he called from within the dungeon. The students quickly shuffled into the room and sat down as they unpacked their ingredients and textbook. Sneering slightly, Snape began talking about the potion they were to brew during the lesson – the Draught of Rage, a simple potion that would inflict a state of anger at the one who drinks it. Having had read the potions textbook cover-to-cover multiple times, Hermione knew most of the potions effects by heart and was thus able to detach her focus from the lesson and onto her blonde nemesis.

Daphne sat three seats from the left of Hermione, besides Gregory Goyle and Tracey. Her mind was focused on the board where her head of house was explaining the specifics of the Draught of Rage. Beside her, Tracey was masking her extreme boredom and trying her best to not affect anyone around her as she projected her faraway look forward. Daphne frowned slightly at her friend's disposition as she felt the sensation of being watched. She glanced towards her right at found that Granger was once again staring at her, watching her every move. By now, Snape had begun to write the instructions on the board and so Daphne returned the glower that Hermione was giving her.

Across the dungeon, the students could feel the tension rising as two of the smartest witches in the year glared at each other. Two pairs of brown eyes stared each other down, neither willing to give an inch. The terse silence was only broken by the cold yet powerful voice of Severus Snape.

"Five points from Gryffindor for disrupting a fellow student's learning, Ms Granger, and detention tonight at eight" he drawled as he stared at the students. The bookworm had broken off her glaring contest with the Greengrass scion and had looked downward resignedly. Snape sneered again and spoke once more. "Since you seem to be so indulgent in staring at my Slytherins, you shall join them for this class"

Snape savoured Granger's stunned expression as he issued his edict "Granger, switch seats with miss Greengrass this lesson" Hermione nodded sadly as she packed her belongings to move. Daphne on the other hand looked up slightly indignantly and asked "Professor, I understand why you are punishing Granger for disrupting the class but why am I subject to this as well?" Hermione looked incredulously at Daphne's words but her thoughts were disrupted by the potions master's reply.

"Very well, you may take miss Davis along with you. Runcorn, Weasley, shift over." The students complied with their professor's request as they each moved over to their newly assigned spot, thus leaving Daphne sat next to Harry while Tracey beside Ron. Harry looked questioningly at Daphne as she sat next to him, to which the blonde simply gave a small smile. Ron had a similar look of surprise when Tracey sat to him while giving him a warm smile, leaving the boy even more confused.

Snape them walked back to the end of the classroom and finished writing the instructions for the potion up on the board as the silent class continued to watch. With a flick of his wand, he told his class to get to work.

"So" Ron said, a few minutes later, in between adding three drops of dragon blood to his boiling potion.

"Hm?" sounded Tracey as she added a measure of ichor into her own concoction, turning the previously bright blue liquid into dark red.

"Uh…" came the boy's eloquent reply. Ron had no idea what to actually say to the Slytherin girl. Who he almost considered a friend. Almost. She was nice enough wasn't she? But she is still a snake, could be hiding something. But what? What would be the point of talking to him of all people? Not for the first time, Ron's brain hurt after a mental debate on the topic of Tracey Davis. It wasn't until the girl he was thinking about loudly whispered at him did he return to reality.

"Ron! Add the nightlock leaves now!" Tracey said, nudging the Gryffindor. Ron hastily shovelled his badly cut leaves into the cauldron, causing his potion to turn dark blue instead of turquoise. With a frown, he groaned slightly as Tracey peered over his cauldron.

"Ron?" she said questioningly as she looked at the cauldron. The sixth Weasley son was slightly red from his seemingly apparent failure to brew the potion he was assigned, about to retort when Tracey started to hmm. Ron gave a questioning look as the brunette handed him a strange looking material. It was waxy and shredded but otherwise unrecognisable by Ron.

"You added too much nightlock, Ron" the Slytherin witch said kindly "The erumpent skin should counteract the excess" Ron looked at the shredded skin suspiciously. Feeling brave (and with nothing to lose anyway), Ron tossed the few pieces of erumpent skin into the boiling liquid. To his surprise, the liquid turned to the turquoise color described in Snape's instructions. His expression sufficiently reflecting his astonishment, he turned to see Tracey's warm smile

"Thanks…" he uttered, still amazed that the Slytherin had helped him

"What are friends for?" she replied as went back to stirring her cauldron. Ron nodded in agreement as he tried to finish the potion himself. Before he continued, he gave a quick glance at Tracey's potion, which seemed to already be at the maroon coloration described in the final step of Snape's instructions. Frowning at his lack of quick progress, Ron began to stir his potion vigorously in a counter-clockwise manner, only to be once again stopped by Tracey's whisper.

"Add a clockwise stir every twelve counter-clockwise stirs," she said "You will get to the next step faster." Ron briefly considered the brunette's advice and shrugged, deciding to follow it. Quickly, the effects of Tracey's advice took hold as the turquoise liquid began to lighten. Ron was surprised once more and uttered a soft "Thank you" to the witch next to him, who smirked slightly as she collected some of her potion in a flask.

Within aa few more minutes, Ron's potion was complete. He looked around and saw that most of the class had yet to have completed the task, only Malfoy, Nott and Hermione seemed to be done. The redhead was once again surprised at this, as his usual potion brewing ability was so bad that he wouldn't even finish half the potions he was assigned, let alone complete it before the rest of the class. All because of Tracey. He contemplated this thought as he waited for the rest of the class to complete their assignment.

Soon, the class finished, including a minor accident where Neville had accidentally added too much ichor into the potion, leading to a small leak in his brass cauldron. Naturally, Snape had capitalized on the development and had deducted five points from Gryffindor for "improper usage of potion ingredients"

As the bat-like professor stalked across the dungeon, his gaze fell on Hermione's flask and bubbling cauldron of pale red liquid. "This is only acceptable, Granger" he drawled "If you pay more attention to your work rather than staring at your fellow students and disrupting class, you would do better" Hermione did her best to keep her frown off her face as she lowered her gaze.

Snape continued to walk around the room and looked at Draco's potion. "Splendid work, five points to Slytherin" The blond dandy smirked at the entire dungeon and puffed out his chest. Snape pretended to not notice this action as he continued his assessment. He glanced at Harry's potion and critically scrutinized its light maroon color. The boy gulped slightly as the spotlight fell on him once more, as it always did during potions class. To his relief, Snape put down the flask without another word.

The man finally made his way to the last row of the dungeon where he inspected the flasks briefly. This face was kept at a subtle frown, betraying no emotion as he walked. However, his eyes opened a fraction wider when he looked at Ron's potion.

"Ten points from Gryffindor, Weasley, I will not tolerate cheating in my classroom" Ron looked shocked but did not reply. Snape was about to carry on his walk as Tracey spoke up. "Pardon me Professor Snape but how do you propose that Weasley cheated? Are you insinuating that I let him look at what I was doing?" she asked in a calm and non-challenging tone. Snape's brow furrowed briefly as he thought for a moment.

"Ten points to Slytherin for analytical skills" he said as he stalked forward to the end of the room. Wordlessly, he dismissed the class and the students left the room quickly. Ron was silent as he shuffled out, catching a small wave from the witch who had helped him not once, not twice but thrice in that past lesson. His contemplation wasn't stopped by Harry's greeting, or Hermione's worried, yet good natured reprimand that she gave before she rushed off to Runes.

* * *

 _A few hours later..._

 _Location_ _: Gryffindor Common Room_

Harry and Ron were busy inside the common room, busy at work on their essay on the applications of the Confundus charm. It was still relatively early, as Hermione had only just gone to her detention not very long ago. The common room was jam packed with many people playing games, socializing and performing some – questionable – deeds. The rancorous cacophony caused most more bookish people to relocate to the library for work, though Harry and Ron decided that they liked the noisy area more than the silent library that Hermione frequented.

"Done!" exclaimed Harry who finally put down his quill. His textbook lay ajar next to his parchment as he himself lay back in relief "That was a difficult essay, don'tcha think, Ron?"

The boy in question looked up. His essay was still half written, despite the almost entire hour that he had spent on it. Ron's freckled face was frowning slightly as he expressed a faraway look and seemed to stare through his paper. Harry noticed his friend's confusion and asked "Ron, what's wrong?"

"Nothing, mate" Ron answered slowly as if he were trying to make a difficult move in wizarding chess "m' fine"

The two boys sat in relative silence for a few moments as the common room around them roared in approval for Nate Dangsworth's most recent victory over Gareth Filibuster in a particularly exciting round of exploding snap. Suddenly Ron exclaimed "I don't get it!"

Harry looked at his friend questioningly "Well if you need to, you can look at my essay" he offered, handing over his own parchment to Ron "Just don't copy it, reckon Flitwick won't let us off as easily this time" he said with a nervous chuckle. However, Ron's mind was elsewhere and didn't respond.

"Ron?" Harry asked, concern for his friend beginning to brew.

"She is so strange" Ron plainly said, after a while. Harry's brow furrowed

"Who?" he asked eloquently. Ron looked blankly at Harry.

"Davis, Tracey Davis" Ron replied. Harry was thoroughly confused but was interrupted by a new voice.

"I know right, mate" called Dean Thomas as he sat down next to Harry and Ron. The dark skinned boy gave a nod to the sitting pair which was gladly reciprocated by Harry and Ron.

"She's a strange bird alright, nicest snake you'll ever meet. I thought she was a 'puff once." Dean added "Say, is that the charms essay for tomorrow? Can I copy?" he asked

Ron ignored this and asked Dean "What do you know about her?" Dean's expression turned confused "I thought you two were mates? Since you two seem to talk"

Harry had to stifle his laughter as Ron's expression morphed strangely, becoming a mixture of a frown, a look of horror and a look of contemplation. Dean looked amused at the reaction "Nice girl, would date but always hangs around Greengrass so untouchable" he fired off

Harry looked surprised "Why does her being with Greengrass make her untouchable?" Harry wondered. Dean gave Harry a very queer look as he answered "Daphne Greengrass? The Frost Queen of Slytherin? Ring any bells?" he responded, gesturing somewhat wildly. Harry and Ron gave negative responses. "Never did pay much attention to snakes" Ron added, causing Dean to sigh

"Daphne Greengrass, aka the Frost Queen, who I thought you were close to Harry?" he asked as he turned to the messy haired boy. Harry gave Dean a blank look as he carried on "Right … my bad. Sorry for that night last month …" he trailed

Clearing his tonce once more, Dean continued "Anyways, Greengrass is quite unsocial with us blokes, hexed a few of them apparently when they tried to get close. She also has that pureblood princess thing going on so…" Harry nodded in agreement to Dean who stood up.

"Anyways, it was nice talking to you two, I need to get to work on that charms essay. Maybe Fay could help me out with it" he mulled. Dean turned to Harry and Ron's questioning expressions. "What?"

"Fay?" the best friends asked

"Fay Dunbar" Dean answered. When Harry and Ron both synchronically tilted their heads to the right, Dean palmed his face.

"Girl? Our year? Gryffindor?" he asked, receiving blank looks. "Brown hair? Cute smile? Tried for Beater last year? Loves the Holyhead Harpies?" Dean's speech and gestures grew more frantic as he spoke, though Harry and Ron both showed no recognition.

"Who?" asked Ron and Harry, comically harmonizing.

"Merlin! No wonder you two don't know much Greengrass and Davis. You don't even know all the girls in our own house!" Dean exclaimed, laughing slightly. He waved and walked away towards a brunette who was sitting idly reading _Quidditch Through the Ages_ on a nearby sofa.

Harry and Ron blinked.

"There is no way we don't know everyone in the house." Ron said determinedly. "I bet we can name the whole year" Harry nodded fervently in agreement as he rummaged through his belongings and found a spare piece of parchment. He drew a line in the middle of the parchment, adding the headers 'Boy' and 'Girl' before separating the parchment into four pieces, each labelled with the different houses.

"Alright, let's see. There is you and I," Harry said, gesturing towards Ron and himself "Dean, Seamus and Neville" he continued as he wrote. "Oh and that Nigerian exchange student Bem last year.

"For the girls, there's 'Mione, Lavender, Parvati … Fay Dunbar. Pretty sure that's it, mate" Ron continued. Harry frowned and said "No wait, there's that other girl … Kelly or something?"

"Oh yeah, Kelly something, put her down too" Ron said, not realizing they miswrote Kellah Runcorn's name.

"Next, the puffs" Harry said, somewhat determinedly as he moved onto the next sheet of parchment "There's Justin Flitch-Fletchley, Ernie Macmillan –"

"Oh I remember him; he was a prat to you in second year" Ron interjected

"Er… there's that Wayne person right? And I swear there's another bloke in Hufflepuff …" Harry said, jotting down the names. Ron frowned but turned to the other side of the sheet.

"We can think about that guy later. For the birds! Err… Susan Bones, Neville's friend Hannah …" Ron wrote, thinking hard. "Oh yeah, that other person! Olivia Rivers right!" he hastily wrote in the girls' section, accidentally changing the gender of a particular Oliver Rivers "Hm… is that it?" he asked turning to Harry.

"I think you missed someone, that other blonde that sits with Justin and Ernie … Jones or something?" Harry said scratching his head as he wrote down the name. "Moving on…"

"We know the claws easy" Ron said arrogantly "There's that Corner bloke, the Goldstein fellow … er… Zabini?" Harry shook his head "No, Zabini is in Slytherin, you missed Kevin Entwhistle and Steve Conrad" he wrote, again misnaming someone. "The girls should be easier. There's Padma, Lisa Turpin, Mindy Brinkhurst and Margaret MacDougall" he wrote.

"And last and the very least," Ron proclaimed, stalling for dramatic effect "the snakes! Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle, Nott … Boot?" Harry shook his head again "No Boot's in Ravenclaw, hang on" he said as he amended the Ravenclaw list. "You missed Zabini" Ron scoffed but wrote down the name anyway.

"For the girls, there's Greengrass, Tracey, Parkinson and Bulstrode" Ron said stubbornly. Harry arched an eyebrow at Ron's way of addressing Tracey. "What? She keeps nagging me to call her that instead of 'Davis', it's become habit" Ron complained as he frowned at himself.

Harry payed no attention to it. "Think we got everyone?" he asked as he tallied up the people in the year "Thirty-four people? Wow, we barely even know most of them" he chuckled as he put away the parchment.

"It's not our fault, we've been too busy" Ron retorted "The stone in first-year, the basilisk in second, the whole Padfoot business last year…" he trailed off

"Wonder how much people know about us?" remarked Harry as he continued to put away his belongings. This was by far not the first time he had wondered this exact question. Once in a while, Harry would ask himself, how much do others know about him. He had some idea of how famous the boy-who-lived was (not that he could understand the entire magnitude) but Harry Potter? They boy who mucked up most of his potions? The boy who couldn't talk to Cho? How well known was he?

Part of him knew that it was because he didn't like to talk to large groups much. Years of living with the Dursleys had influenced him to think like this, making him grow up as a shy person. Though in part, his lack of other friends was also because of his close friends – Ron and Hermione. Oh, it wasn't because he didn't like them, they were like the siblings he never had. However, even he could notice how they had unintentionally been pushing him away from making more friends. Ron had gotten quieter these past few months but Hermione…

Ron was back at work on his charms essay when Harry glanced at his red headed best friend. Harry quickly told Ron that he wanted to head back into the dorm and had quickly ran off. As he walked, he smiled. _"Perhaps it's time to make another good friend"_

* * *

 _Date: Wednesday 21_ _st_ _September 1994_

 _Location: Classroom 4A_

Harry Potter sat in the spacious classroom 4A waiting for his companion to arrive. It had been a rough day for Harry. Charms was alright, he supposed, Professor Flitwick had cast a comparison charm against his and Ron's essay and had walked away satisfied so that went well enough. Herbology went alright, though it was quite exhausting to cast the fire-making **Incendio** spell repeatedly. However, it was Defence that really shook him. Today, the class covered the Entrails-Expelling Curse, a spell once formally used by ancient Egyptian priests as part of their rituals or to perform anthropomancy. Somewhere along history, a dark wizard by the name Urquhart Rackharrow used the benign 'Anthropomancy Charm' on a living being, thus changing the spell's name to its modern variant.

Moody had demonstrated it on another few spiders today, and had given a lecture on it's more prominent users, almost all of whom currently resided in Azkaban or were killed in the last war. Nevertheless, the lesson had shocked the entire class into submission, not even Malfoy had made a snide remark during the class.

Harry was abruptly jarred out of his thoughts when Daphne walked into the room. She quickly checked the time and concluded that she was late, albeit very barely.

"Sorry Potter, I had to go pick up these books" she gestured to the relatively old looking book that she had brought with her. She sat down on a nearby chair as Harry spoke.

"No problem, Daphne, I'm usually the late one anyway" Harry chuckled nervously. "Besides, you're helping me out like this anyways" Daphne arched her eyebrow at his casual addressing on her.

"You said my name" she stated, rather bluntly. Harry lightly smiled, causing her to frown. "Fine, don't expect me to call you 'Harry' though" she said. _"Is the plan working? Is he trying to flirt with me?"_ Daphne thought, trying to critically analyse the person in front of her.

" _Yes! We're becoming better friends!"_ thought Harry, oblivious to Daphne's thoughts at the moment.

"Anyways," continued Daphne, deciding to ignore that interaction "Here is a book on some of the most famous wizards and witches who were born before the founding of the Wizengamot. This will help you if you ever get stuck with some old pureblood who likes making references to some of these ancient people. Unfortunately, the information it has is not very expansive because of how little information we have about those times." Harry nodded at his loquacious friend who began again "We'll start with the first person on the list, Herpo the Foul …"

"Next we will skip a few decades, and this Quidditch referee and onto one of the most famous wizards of all time." Daphne continued. About forty minutes had passed by now, Harry dutifully taking some notes as Daphne talked. Strangely, he didn't find himself bored of the blonde's voice, even after listening to it talk almost incessantly for all that time. However, he found himself once again partly unfocused until she uttered a name he somehow recognized, "Nicholas Flamel" Abruptly, he flew wide into attention as he recalled the famous alchemist's, a reaction that Daphne looked curiously at.

"I'm almost surprised, Potter, Flamel hasn't been on any of our assignments yet, how do you know of him?" she asked curiously.

"I had to research him once, first year" Harry replied, though only making the Slytherin more curious

"What for?" she persisted. Daphne had heard a few rumors from back in that time. The nebulous boy-who-lived had apparently somehow triumphed over some lofty goal. Some said he had fought a reincarnated Voldemort. Others claimed that he defeated a new dark lord-in-training, or that he had become one himself. One could never be really sure about the rumors that the Hogwarts' mill would churn out.

Harry decided to take a moment to pause before he answered "The Philosopher's Stone" Daphne's gaze grew more curious. "What about it?" The Philosopher's stone, as you may well know, was an ancient artefact of alchemy, supposedly able to extend life and heal injuries that no other treatment could heal. Naturally, Daphne knew about the legends and mythology surrounding the stone's supposed existence.

Harry smiled at Daphne as he began to recount his adventures in his first year. Daphne was amused by how easy it was to get past the Cerberus 'Fluffy'. Many Gryffindors had apparently tried to, as she heard from around her common room, but none had succeeded at where Harry did. She was further amused when Harry described the various trials that he and his friends had gone through ("A giant chessboard? Really?" she snorted" Inwardly however, she began to notice a strange pattern between the supposed 'obstacles' that Harry claimed were guarding the legendary Philosopher's Stone. When it came down to the final battle, Daphne was disappointed that Harry didn't elaborate further.

"Really Potter. Saying 'I fainted' is a terrible way to end the story. Aren't you Gryffindors supposed to embellish your tale to the point of incredulity?" she asked, as Harry looked embarrassed.

"Hey, you asked me for the correct retelling and I gave you it. Honest" Harry replied. He leaned back on his chair and exhaled briefly, it was good to have told her about it. It wasn't that Dumbledore specifically told him not to tell anyone, it was simply that he felt uncomfortable about the whole situation. Thinking back on it now and talking about it had made him feel better, even if it was just by a bit.

While Harry mused, Daphne was focused on the last word. 'Honest.' Or more accurately, the concept of honesty. She was no stranger to the lies and half-truths that propagated in dungeons of Slytherin, the alliances that were built on nothing but falsehoods, the relationships riddled with crocodile tears and backstabbing. Navigating the life of a Slytherin was trying to anyone and the pureblooded heir had it no easier. Trust. That was a barely familiar concept to her. The people she could trust could be counted on her two hands. Tracey. Her mother. Astoria. Theo? Slightly. Same for her father.

"Do you trust me?" Daphne blurted out before she could stop herself, her inner turmoil momentarily superseding her conscious thought. Her eyes widened at her misspeak but Harry answered none the same.

"You haven't given me a reason not to" he said, smiling at the bewildered witch. Daphne couldn't keep her emotions off her face as she gawked at the wizard in front of him. Seeing as she didn't speak, Harry continued "I've already told you a secret of mine haven't I?" Daphne changed her expression into an amuse smirk.

"You are naive, Potter, to trust me so quickly. Just because I haven't done anything to betray your trust doesn't mean I am trustworthy" she chided. Harry simply smiled

"That's true. But I prefer to see the best in people" he gave Daphne another small smile as the girl scoffed at him.

"Please" she drawled haughtily "Use your cunning for once, you clearly are able to, given that story."

Harry chuckled at Daphne's antics and said "It's almost time for curfew, we should leave soon" Daphne nodded at the pair left the room, together as usual. Reaching the entrance to the dungeons, Harry turned to Daphne.

"Well, was a great lesson. I learnt quite a bit. Thanks Daphne, and goodbye" he waved at her before he reproduced the magical cloak from within is robes and disappeared into the air.

Daphne stood still for a few more moments. She stood rigidly, her mind torn between two options. A few moments passed before she inaudibly muttered "Bye … Harry"

* * *

 _Spells used/mentioned:_

 _Incendio – Flame making charm_

 _A/N: Thoughts? I hope the 'naming the year'part was done alright. Harry and Ron still missed a few people though_


	7. Chapter 7 - Falling Faith

" _Text"_ – Thoughts

" **Text"** – Spellcast

 _Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, JK Rowling does_

* * *

 _ **Chapter 7 – Falling Faith**_

 _Date: Thursday, October 20_ _th_ _1994_

 _Location: Classroom 3C_

"For homework, write me a foot of parchment on the Imperius Curse!" Professor Moody barked "Of you go" The ex-auror strode out of the room, his wooden leg clunking against the floor every other step he took.

Silently grumbling about their work, the Slytherins packed their belongings and walked out of classroom 3C, leaving Tracey and Daphne behind. The brunette was deep in thought once again. A few weeks had passed since the lesson on the **'Aruspices Aufero'** curse and Moody's lessons had only gotten more and more dark.

This lesson, Moody had put every one of them under the Imperius Curse to "learn how to break it". While it had been funny to watch Dean Thomas prance around like a ballerina, or Crabbe's edition of the muggle song "We Didn't Start the Fire", the fact that Moody used the unforgivable on a group of fourth-years was extremely unsettling. He said he had Dumbledore's approval but still…

"Tracey, we're leaving, it's almost time for dinner" called Daphne, shaking her friend out of her stupor. Grimacing a little, she replied "Give me a moment" Tracey quickly started to pack as she looked around the classroom. Her eyes had come almost full circle noticed Theodore Nott sitting sullenly at his desk.

"Theo, are you coming?" she asked. Theodore looked up at her and she jumped back in shock. In his eyes swam a silent but menacing hatred, which was highly uncharacteristic of the usually silent and unspoken Nott. He noticed who he was looking at and immediately softened his gaze, saying "My apologies Tracey. I will be going as well" Daphne noticed his formal tone and language but decided to not comment on it. She quickly picked her things up and left with Daphne.

"You took too long" said Daphne, in a partly bored tone.

"Hey, I take as long as I like" replied Tracey, slightly edgily

"Woah, Trace calm down!" Daphne said, slightly surprised at her friend's tone. Frowning slightly, she withdrew into her thoughts and tried to figure out what had irritated the usually bubbly and cheerful brunette after their DADA class … again. Like every other DADA class since they began term. Daphne didn't know what was bothering her friend and didn't like it at all.

* * *

After walking in silence for a while, the two made it to their common room. "Ancient" Daphne intoned towards the wall as they strode into the green-clad dungeon. Tracey quietly sat down on a chair and began tow work on her History of Magic assignment while Daphne took out her essay on Arithmantic variables. The common room was quieter than usual, despite most Slytherins having already finished their last class. Many varied discussions took place across the room, though all of them ultimately all of them were somewhat linked to the imminent Triwizard Tournament.

"You planning on entering?" asked Tracey after a while. The brunette's essay was not close to completion but her tired expression showed how she felt about completing it. Daphne followed her friend's actions and put away her work.

"Probably not, I read about the death toll" Daphne replied as she laid back on the couch. Focusing deeply, she strained her ears to attempt to listen in on other conversations about around. Unfortunately, her efforts were interrupted by an oily voice behind her.

"That won't work, doll. Our housemates' propensity for sneakiness is … quiet high" drawled Blaise Zabini. Daphne swirled around to see the boy's smirking face. Tracey's eyes darted at the dark-skinned male, widening in shock as her gaze plummeted onto the ground. Blaise's smirk only got wider at her reaction.

"You have some nerve" Daphne quietly, shaking in cold fury. She glared hatefully at Zabini, but the boy didn't flinch at all. In fact, his smirk turned coy, with a face that screamed "Who? Me?"

Daphne stood up and drew her wand, about to hex the smile off the Zabini's face before Tracey caught her hand. "It's not worth it Daph" she said sadly. Daphne sniffed angrily but withdrew her wand and instead stuck to glowering at the now snickering Blaise who took the opportunity to walk away, chuckling as he did so.

"Bloody wanker" Daphne cursed as she let out a breath she didn't know she had been holding. She took a deep breath and reigned in the fury that she had been feeling. "Thanks for keeping me from doing something Gryffindorish" she said to Trace "I don't know what came over me"

Tracey gave her friend a sad smile. "No problem." Trying to cheer herself and Daphne up, Tracey changed the subject "So, you know how Darius and Draven are planning on joining the tournament?"

Daphne thought questioningly as she tried to recall a pair with those names "Theo's elder brothers?" she asked to which Tracey nodded.

"Yeah, I overheard them a while back. Apparently they mastered a few new spells over the holiday" said Sophie as she walked towards the pair. Tracey and Daphne greeted their housemate as she sat down comfortably on the seat in front of Daphne and Tracey.

"Anything you can tell us for free?" Tracey asked innocently. It was well known that Slytherin house had a sort of 'intelligence ring' that traded and gathered information about various important people in and out of the house. None of the members specifically were known by the masses but many of the more influential members of the house had contacts within the organization. In this case, Sophie would occasionally provide information to Daphne and Tracey, for prices ranging from a few Sickles to two whole Galleons.

The raven haired girl grinned coyly. "Hemomancy and Projectile Conjuration. Nothing more without the usual fee" she said in a demure tone, her short black hair swishing around slightly. Daphne frowned but waved Sophie off. Smirking slightly, the information broker stood up and walked off, leaving the pair in their thoughts.

"Drat, I thought we could get more out of her. I was hoping to ask about Gareth Filibuster's new skillset, he's planning on participating too you know" Tracey said with a pout. Daphne raised her eyebrow at Tracey's casual mention of the seventh year Gryffindor as the brunette turned towards her as Tracey moaned "Daphne," drawing out the last syllable in a whining tone "Why couldn't you have just paid the fee?"

Daphne simply answered " _Nos Metere quod non Seruerimus._ If I was to pay, we would have become more dependent on Roper, too much so. Since the knowledge is inconsequential to use, we would be better served without the knowledge or the increased debt." she said in a calm but slightly arrogant manner, causing Tracey to become flustered

"What does that even mean?!"

* * *

 _Location: Third Floor Corridor_

Theodore Nott wandered the hallways in relative silence, walking around aimlessly and trying to stave off angry thoughts. His efforts were quite successful until he heard his name called by a relatively unfamiliar voice.

"Nott." Harry Potter called from down the corridor gesturing towards the Slytherin.

Theo turned to look at the Boy-who-lived and frowned. The two hadn't spoken in private in the past, in fact the last time they had spoken out of classes was that time on the Hogwarts Express last school year. Potter strode forward to meet Theo.

"What is it Potter?" he asked evenly. Having no idea why the boy-who-lived would talk to him, Theo was cautious but acted as casual as possible to put the boy at ease. Rumors of Harry's abilities easily passed his own and he did not want to be caught in a confrontation with possibly the strongest wizard of his year.

"Do you see Daphne Greengrass often?" Harry asked bluntly as he stopped in front of Theo. Theo nodded and Harry took out a piece of parchment

"Give this to her please" he asked plainly, causing Theo to raise an eyebrow in question

"And why should I?" Theo asked, drawling slightly "How would that benefit me?"

Harry frowned slightly before he continued "I could probably call up a small family debt of some sort between our families" he said causing Theo to snort in amusement.

"You would trade in a family debt for such a small favour Potter? A powerful wizard you may be but a politician you are not!" he said chortling. Theo's laughter continued for a few moments before he spoke again. "Though I am surprised Potter, I'd say Daphne's lessons are doing you well"

Harry looked at Theo in mild shock as he went on "Yes I know about them, I spend enough time listening to Tracey and her conversations to have some idea. Plus, I talk to Sophie Roper enough to get more than enough information. To clarify my point, most Gryffindors would have simply given a floating favour to me. You on the other hand used, or rather attempted to use, an old pureblood tradition instead, a Slytherin move might I add" Theo said with a hint of amusement.

Harry twitched and began to frown as he spoke "I know you meant that as a compliment but how you said it is just… Anyways, will you do it or not?" Theo pretended to think for a moment before he replied "Answer two questions and I'll do it for you." Harry nodded for a moment but froze for a moment before Theo added "Don't worry, I'm not going to ask anything personal. I'm just curious about your little note there" Harry gave a small nod and Theo began his questioning.

"First of all, what is this note about? I know it is enchanted with the paper a minor illusion charm so I can't read it" he asked, gesturing to the seemingly blank note. He neglected to mention that the charm was more commonly used by messengers affiliated with major families.

Harry was briefly surprised at Theo's correct analysis but quickly chalked it up to Slytherin shrewdness. "I missed my session with Greengrass yesterday," he said frowning "It's pretty much a note of apology."

Theo's brow furrowed "Then why not just tell her in person, aren't you brave enough to face her?" he asked in a slightly mocking tone.

Irritated but not angry, Harry replied "I would but I rarely see her at all. In class Hermione is always next to me and I don't want the two of them to get into a fight or something." Theo nodded as he filed the new information into his head. "And outside of class?" he asked.

Harry smirked "That's a third question Nott, I answered your two already." Theo frowned at Potter's newfound perceptiveness "Daphne really is teaching you well," he mused "Well a deal is a deal. I might not be stupidly brave like Gryffindors are but I am a honourable man." He extended his hand towards Harry. The dark haired Gryffindor grasped the Nott scion's hand in a firm handshake, signifying their agreement. With that done, Theo turned around "See you around Potter"

"As to you" Harry replied before adding "Scion Nott" He too began to walk back to his own common room, with a few thoughts on his mind. Most prominently though, was _"Who the hell is Sophie Roper? Is she in our year?"_

* * *

 _Date: Sunday, October 30_ _th_ _1994_

 _Location: Slytherin Common Room_

"Tracey! We are going to be late if you don't hurry up." Daphne called. The event that the whole school had been talking about was about to occur – the arrival of the students from Durmstrang and Beauxbatons. Tracey was no exception, having pestered Daphne about it for the past few days since the notice had gone up on their noticeboard. Well, she had mostly been blabbering about the Durmstrang students, as a majority of them were male and "super-duper hot" and a host of other adjectives which made Daphne blush.

"Done!" Tracey yelled as she bounded up the stairwell into the Slytherin common room. "So … ready to meet some Durmstrang Boys?" she asked brightly.

"I don't really have anything else to take care of if that's what you're asking me." Daphne replied as the pair journeyed up to the Great Hall. While Tracey was talking about how she would love to meet with the foreign students, Daphne's thoughts migrated back to what had happened a few days prior.

The pair eventually made it down to the Great Hall, where a great number of people had already congregated, separated into lines by their different houses. Daphne and Tracey took their spots in the Slytherin line as they waited for the rest of the school to join them.

"Single file. First Years first" boomed Professor Snape from behind the Slytherins, almost making them jump. Daphne and Tracey shared a look as they watched their house-mates orderly walking out of the castle. Everyone was grouped in rows by year group, most nervously anticipating the arrivals of the foreign students while eagerly scanning every inch of the sky, land and lake for any sign of their visitors.

"How d'you reckon they'll be showing up?" whispered Sophie nudging Tracey in the ribs.

"Probably not a Portkey, too difficult to approve international ones, broomsticks for so many people would be expensive …" muttered Theo, who was standing on Sophie's other side. Surprised, all three girls looked at him "What? My uncle works in the Department of Magical Transport." All three turned away but mentally noted, with different levels of amusement, at how loquacious the usually silent boy was.

They didn't have to wait much longer before Dumbledore spoke from behind all of them, his booming voice carried through the wind across the entire field

"Aha! Unless I am very much mistaken, the delegation from Beauxbatons approaches!"

"Where?!" Students everywhere began to search even more enthusiastically until someone pointed out "Up there!" A large dark colored shape was swooping down on the castle. As it continued to descend, Daphne began to make out a few dozen horses that were drawing what appeared to be a massively oversized horse carriage. With a deafening thud, the behemoth crashed onto the ground, causing many younger students to leap backwards in fright.

Stunned silent, the Hogwarts students watched as a Beauxbatons student leaped out of a side door and opened the main door to the carriage, revealing a gargantuan woman. She easily towered over the now second tallest human (Hagrid), that anyone had seen. Dressed in luxurious clothes, the apparent half-giant walked forward with grace that did not match her stature. Dumbledore began to clap, soon followed by the rest of the students who gave their strange visitor a round of applause. Daphne decided to watch for the other school's arrivals as she tuned out the headmasters' greetings to one another. Suddenly, she saw a slight flicker in the lake's surface. The water began to spin counter-clockwise as the centre of the lake dipped downward.

"The lake!" screamed an older Gryffindor, causing everyone to cast their eyes onto the aquatic body, which by now had become a small maelstrom. Rising from the waters was a colossal galleon, resembling those used by the Spaniards in the 16th Century. The ship invoked the feeling of dread as it emitted a strange aura of seemingly unearthly energies. On its bow, a dragon's skull leered at all beneath the ship, causing some students to cry out in shock and awe. The crash of an anchor broke them out of their stupor as Durmstrang students began to disembark.

Igor Karkaroff strode forward and enveloped Dumbledore in a greeting. The two headmasters began conversing quietly as Daphne watched the students who were passing by them. A frown marred her face as she looked at the Durmstrang head teacher but decided to ignore the man as she glanced at the students. Many gasped in surprise when Viktor Krum, the Bulgarian National Team seeker strode up to the conversing headmasters at Karkaroff's beckoning and shook hands with Dumbledore. Daphne frowned at how some of her housemates were gawking at the Quidditch star as she looked across her row. Sophie was comically trying not to look at the young athlete but failing much to Theo's amusement. On the other side, Pansy, Draco and Crabbe all ogled the man, causing Daphne to smirk in amusement.

"Erugh… Daphne," Tracey whiningly drawled in disgust towards the gawking crowd "Can we go back? It's cold" she said as she shivered. Sniffing amusedly, Daphne led her best friend back into the Great Hall for dinner.

* * *

 _Location: Slytherin Common Room_

Dinner had been a rather rambunctious affair, even on the usually quiet Slytherin Table. Though in fairness, the presence of an international Quidditch superstar would be likely to generate a lot of talk no matter where he went. In this case, Viktor Krum had been 'courteously welcomed' by Draco and his posse to sit on the Slytherin table. The rest of the Durmstrang group simply went on with it, resulting in a far more squashed table than usual. Because of this, Daphne found herself eating as quickly as she could so that she could return to the common room and get some peace and quiet.

Going against Daphne's advice, Tracey had decided to stay behind and attempt to converse with some of the Durmstrang delegates which was why Daphne found herself walking through the dungeons on her own. As she reached the wall in front of Linfred's painting, she whispered the password to the wall and walked quickly through the portal.

As expected, only a few students were already back in the common room since most people were still trying to talk to the Durmstrang entourage. Daphne smirked as she wondered how Tracey was faring.

"Thats a nice look on you," came a slick voice from behind her. Daphne froze instantly.

"Zabini," she said with barely veiled hostility. She could feel the boy's malicious smirk on her back.

"Why won't you turn around and let me look at your beautiful face?" the boy said charmingly. Daphne stilled as she was now caught between a rock and a hard place. Furious at being manipulated, she turned sharply and stared directly into the eyes of one Blaise Zabini.

"Get out of my sight, Zabini," Daphne growled. Infuriatingly, the boy began to laugh.

"Why so hostile? You were much less feral when we last had a proper conversation!" he said. Daphne felt her rage hit an apex as she furiously controlled herself to prevent herself from hexing him ... or worse. A few moments passed as Daphne refused to answer Blaise.

"Speechless, Daphne?" he said with the hint of a mocking tone, "I would have thought that the heiress presumptive of House Greengrass would be able to come up with some sort of response to poor little me."

Daphne glared but said nothing. Blaise began to frown but soon smirked once again.

"Who knew that _Harry Potter_ had such an effect on you!" he said, much louder this time. People started to take notice of the confrontation and had begun to gather around. Daphne gave an enraged look towards Blaise.

"Potter has nothing to do with my opinion of you, Zabini," she spat. The boy smirked.

"Are the rumors true then? Are you and Potter..." Blaise had deliberately left the end unsaid, allowing for the endless imagination of those around them to come up with their own ideas while not implying anything specific. It was a very crafty tactic. Daphne bit her lip, unsure of how to answer. The smirking boy had a knack for finding the best way to weave her into a verbal trap and she absolutely hated it.

"Potter is... a friend. Nothing more, nothing less," she answered. Blaise smirked.

"You should learn to pick your friends better," he said nonchalantly. "Yours seem to have the tendency to betray your trust... And now you decide to befriend Harry Potter? The person with the most secrets in the student body?" Blaise laughed out loud, somehow ignoring the withering glare sent to him by the infuriated Greengrass girl.

"Leave." Daphne's mask was almost completely broken by now. Her expression was one of absolute anger, so intense that the younger students in the common room had shifted back slightly. Blaise smirked, his goal complete.

"Until later, Daphne," he drawled as he began walking towards the corridor leading to the male dormitories. Daphne seethed as she watched his receding figure. An idea popped up.

"Zabini, one last thing," she called. Blaise stopped in his footsteps, some surprise evident by his posture.

"Please refrain from addressing me so casually, Mr. Zabini. After all, we are not friends." Blaise looked surprised and shrugged.

"Very well, Lady Greengrass." The boy quickly walked away, disappearing down the tunnel leading to his dormitory.

Daphne silently celebrated her minor victory as she began her passage down the stairs as well. However, one thing ate at her from the back of her mind.

What were Potter's secrets? Would he betray her?

Daphne shook her head. No, that would be almost impossible. Harry was far too honor-bound, too righteous ... right? Uncertainty began to cloud Daphne's mind as she shook her head once more. The conversation she had with Blaise had taken too much out of her and she needed to rest. With that in mind, Daphne quickly made her way back to her dormitory, intending on sleeping as quickly as she could.

* * *

 _Date: Monday, October 31_ _st_ _1994_

 _Location: Great Hall_

"WHY DOES HE ALWAYS SIT HERE" cried Tracey as Viktor Krum sat down at the Slytherin Table after he had put his name in the Goblet of Fire. "AND WHY DO THEY KEEP FOLLOWING HIM!" she moaned as a group of giggling fangirls joined him, talking excitedly and had disrupted the peaceful conversation that Daphne and Tracey had been having.

"He's been here every meal Tracey, give it a rest" Sophie said from across the table. Though her tone was calm, her expression betrayed how clearly irritated she was with the crowd Krum had kept bringing around with him.

"The only time they aren't around is when he is at the library" Theo chimed in as he sat down. "Question is, who is worse? The fangirls? Or Malfoy?" he said, gesturing at the two groups. Krum kept an impassive face as the people around him tried to engage him in conversation about anything from Quidditch, to living in Bulgaria, to his personal life, all of which he ignored.

Daphne shrugged as she looked around the room and spotted the other 'eye-turner' in the room. A pretty blonde Beauxbatons girl had just sat down gracefully at the Ravenclaw table after she had entered herself into the tournament. She was conscious of the many boys who had been trying to inconspicuously ogle her. Daphne stared for a moment before she was rudely broken out of her thoughts. "Never took you for a poofter, Greengrass" a nasally voice sounded near Daphne. The blonde quickly glared at Pansy Parkinson, who glared back at her.

"Even if she was, at least she has good taste. Unlike someone here. Really, ferrets are definitely not in season" retorted Tracey, coming to Daphne's rescue. Pansy turned bright red and moved away from the Slytherin best friends. "Bitch" Daphne muttered, shooting another glare at Pansy as she walked away.

"Cheer up Daphne, not everyone is looking at the veela." Tracey said, gesturing at the Gryffindor table "See, Potter isn't looking, maybe you've had an effect on him?" Tracey wiggled her eyebrows suggestively at Daphne, causing the blonde to frown at her best friend. The boy in question was indeed not looking in the direction of the veela, instead he was deep in conversation with Granger and Weasley.

"We both know he fancies Chang, so drop it" Daphne retorted as the food appeared and the pair dug into their meal. Cho Chang. The Ravenclaw seeker in the year above theirs. Daphne couldn't see why so many people were enamoured with her but it didn't matter to her much. She glanced at Harry from across the room, who seemed to be pestered by Granger holding a box of some kind. Harry began to look around the room suddenly and their gazes met for an instant. Harry smiled at Daphne, surprising the blonde but she gave a weak smile back.

The plates suddenly cleaned themselves after the long feast, vanishing in mid-air. All eyes turned to the front as Dumbledore stood up.

"I suspect that the goblet is about to make its decision" he said. "When the champion's names are called, please walk across the staff table to enter the chamber behind us staff. There, the judges will confer upon you your instructions for the first task." With this, the old wizard snuffed out almost all the candles in the great hall, only leaving a single glowing pumpkin and the blazing goblet as remaining light sources.

With a flash of red, the goblet spat out a piece of paper which Dumbledore easily caught "The Durmstrang Champion is – Viktor Krum!" he shouted, to many cheers erupting around the hall. Seemingly not reacting to the news, Krum calmly stood up from his seat and walked to the chamber.

As the applause died down, the goblet turned red again and sent out another piece of paper. "The Beauxbatons champion is – Fleur Delacour!" At this, applause rung out once more, this time for the gorgeous blonde who Daphne was just looking at. Fleur gracefully glided behind the staff table and disappeared into the chamber behind.

As the hall quieted, Daphne began to think. She carefully thought through the few most likely candidates to be Hogwarts champion, analysing their repertoire, instincts and overall character. Slytherin's greatest chance would probably fall to Darius Nott, a ruthless wizard who heavily favoured curses that involved slicing his opponents to bits. Rumor even had it that Professor Snape taught him one of his own original curses to help with Darius's chances as champion.

Ravenclaw had many different people who Daphne felt had a shot being Hogwarts champion, though she was more partial to Athena Ozer, a witch who was rumoured to have decent mastery over the **Finibus** spell, a form of highly advanced transfiguration that gave the user some control over space itself, allowing for feats such as rapid small-scale teleportation or causing rapid shifts in temperature in small locations. Though an extremely versatile and dangerous spell, it's main weakness was that it also exhausted the user quite quickly when using the spell rapidly.

Gryffindor had two main competitors for the spot. First was Angelina Johnson, a chaser in the Gryffindor Quidditch team. She didn't specialize in any particular form of magic but was noted to have an immense drive that allowed her to excel at charms and transfiguration, as well as rumors that she was petitioning to become an animagi. The other competitor was Gareth Filibuster who, unlike his firework making father, decided to pursue his abilities in the **Glacius** spell and its derivatives, allowing him to potentially make weaponry out of ice.

However, Daphne turned her thoughts to Hufflepuff and thought. The badgers rarely had anyone who excelled particularly greatly in comparison to the other four houses but their star seeker, Cedric Diggory, was the great exception. Other than his athletic ability and instincts honed by years of Quidditch, he was known to have strengths in Charms, mastering many earth based spells, as well as Transfiguration, having shown ability to quickly transfigure objects into living beings, vice versa and beyond. Apart from his ability, Diggory was known for his charismatic character and as a fair and honest person (which was looked down upon by most Slytherins). Nevertheless, Daphne knew that he was the prime candidate for the spot of champion.

As the goblet's flames renewed its scarlet vigor, the entire hall held its breath. "Quick, hope for the best" whispered Tracey, gesturing at the Nott twins. Darius and Draven were smirking confidently as they watched the goblet eject another piece of paper out into the air. Grimacing slightly, Daphne did as Tracey did.

"And lastly! The Hogwarts Champion for the Triwizard Tournament is … Cedric Diggory!" boomed Dumbledore. The hall erupted into a cacophony of sounds, ranging from loud cheers and whoops from the Hufflepuff table to resigned sighs from Gryffindor and Ravenclaw to the thinly veiled disgust emanating from some of the Slytherins. Daphne and Tracey gave each other matching smiles as they looked across at the Nott twins' disappointment. The twins were glaring at Dumbledore in unveiled rage as the aged man was giving a speech on cheering school spirit. Suddenly, the goblet burst into red flames once again and everyone turned silent.

Another piece of paper floated out of the cup, which Dumbledore caught easily. With no small look of surprise on his face, he uttered out one name

"Harry Potter"

The hall was completely silent. A few people stood up to get a better look at the Harry, who sat frozen on his seat. The staff table was a silent frenzy as teachers whispered urgent messages between themselves and the judges. Professor Snape's typical sneer was plastered on his face, as he glared at the last Potter.

Daphne was completely still, as frozen as Harry currently was. Like everyone else, her mind was deep at work, though on a different topic than most around her. Stunned like everyone, Tracey nudged Daphne.

"I though you said he–" Tracey started. Daphne suddenly jerked slightly, causing Tracey to stop in her tracks. Daphne began to smile, slightly weakly as she turned to her friend.

"Heh" Daphne chuckled, lightly. "That damn Potter, tricked me into thinking he wouldn't compete" Tracey looked bewilderedly at her blonde friend who continued her speech "Even managed to trick Dumbledore's line, I really underestimated him" Daphne said.

His adventure with the Philosopher's Stone, followed by the Chamber of Secrets fiasco and Sirius Black's escape in the following two years had proved to make life at Hogwarts very interesting. Daphne had heard further rumors about Harry's involvement with the previous two years' incidents as well but the boy had not spoken to her directly about it.

"Daphne?" Tracey asked. Her best friend had put on her façade once more to mask her reminiscence and contemplation. Though most could not tell the difference, one look at Daphne gave Tracey all the clues she needed.

"Daphne!" she called again, nudging her best friend out of stupor.

"What?" Daphne replied. The blonde looked around the hall and noticed a particularly focused source of rage that seemed to be directed towards her. Hermione Granger glared venomously at Daphne from across the hall, a look which Daphne ignored without any indication of sensing it.

"I'm so proud, you know," Daphne said softly, as Tracey looked questioningly "Potter is finally being sneaky!" she whispered in apparent excitement. She was proud, wasn't she? Hasn't she chided Potter for his impulsiveness and tactlessness? _"But why does it hurt when I think about it?"_

* * *

 _Spells Used/Mentioned_

 _Aruspices Aufero – Entrails Expelling Curse_

 _Finibus – Space-Altering Spell(s)_

 _Glacius – Freezing Spell_

 _Next Time: Fate?_


	8. Chapter 8 - Fate?

_A/N Did you know, canon Harry only trained two days (a Sunday and a Monday) before the first task (which was on the Tuesday) despite the three weeks of time he had between October 31_ _st_ _and November 24_ _th_ _?_

 _Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, JK Rowling does_

" _Text"_ – Thoughts

" **Text"** – Spellcast

* * *

 _ **Chapter 8 – Fate?**_

 _Date: Tuesday, November 1_ _st_ _1994_

 _Location: Fourth Year Gryffindor Male Dormitory_

Harry had just woken up, slightly later than usual. As per tradition, first class on the day after Halloween was cancelled, so Harry allowed himself to sleep in. When he arose, however, he noticed that the dorm was empty so he just quickly walked downstairs into the Gryffindor common room.

Last night had ended horribly, even for Halloween standards (which, considering the past three years was quite a feat). Ron had decided to end their three-year long friendship over Harry's unwilling entry into the tournament despite Harry's adamant refusal that he had done so on purpose. THe confrontation had almost come to blows until Neville and Dean stopped them from hexing each other. Harry hadn't had high hopes that the issue would be resolved overnight and unfortunately, his prediction had come true.

Harry was well acquainted with the other members of the dorm but was not particularly close to any of them apart from Ron. Harry knew that he didn't really have anyone else he really felt particularly close to, other than Ron and Hermione, a fact that he had actually realized after trying (and apparently failing) to remember every person in his own year. Without any hesitation, he decided two things. First, to find Hermione and to hopefully get her help in dealing with the tournament. Second, to try and see if anyone else would be willing to help him out in his current predicament, and make more friends along the way. His thoughts briefly flew to the blonde Slytherin who had taught him so much as he arrived at the common room.

The room itself was quite empty, as most people were still downstairs eating breakfast. Harry quickly strode out of the common room before anyone could try and engage him in conversation (he was too polite to refuse) and found himself face to face with Hermione as he walked through the portrait hole.

"Hello" she said, holding up a small stack of toast and a few books. "I brought you this. Want to go on a walk before class? We have thirty minutes or so"

"Alright" Harry said, happy to talk to Hermione. As they descended to the ground floor, the pair discussed Ron's behaviour the previous night, where Hermione expressed her thoughts on why Ron was acting in such a way.

"I'm not going to wait until he grows up!" exclaimed Harry in a bout of pent up fury. Hermione looked despairingly at her friend but spoke again.

"Harry, you know what you should do once you get back to the castle right? Write to Sirius, ask him for advice on this. He asked you to keep him posted about recent events at Hogwarts, he'll want you to hell him." Harry was about to argue about putting Sirius in further danger but stopped himself. After all, Sirius was bound to find out soon, given how fast news could travel.

"That's a good idea, Hermione, thanks for the advice. Now I just need to see if I can get more people to help me out" Harry said contemplatively

Hermione slowed slightly at his words "What do you mean? I can help you, isn't that enough?"

"Well, I was thinking. If I am going to survive this tournament, I should get some more help. Maybe Daphne or someone could…" Harry said, his voice trailing slightly.

Hermione stopped walking. "Why would you need _her_ help? I can get you all the spells you need on my own." Hermione had begun to raise her voice slightly, a hint of worry bleeding into her tone.

Harry didn't notice this and replied "Well, I've been learning a bit about old wizarding families, some of them have some really impressive magic!" he said excitedly. Hermione raised her eyebrows and asked "Where did you learn that from?"

Harry stopped. He hadn't mentioned his lessons to Hermione like he did with Ron as he didn't want to cause his friend worry. Despite this, he knew he couldn't lie to his friend like this and told her "Daphne told me about it, she has been giving me some lessons about this kind of stuff"

Hermione's gaze narrowed "And why is this the first time I'm hearing of this? And when did you start calling her Daphne?" she asked accusingly.

"It never came up, Hermione, honest." Harry replied with a slightly fearful tone as he was beginning to sense Hermione's mood.

Hermione's gaze was like steel as she peered at Harry. She mentally ran through her own knowledge of pureblood traditions and her gaze narrowed evermore. It was an unwritten tradition for purebloods to not call each other by first name, usually addressing the other by their surname and title when applicable. Giving a first name or nickname to another for usage was a sign of trust, respect or even friendship.

"How long has this been going for?" she asked. Her voice had lowered in volume significantly, becoming almost a whisper.

Harry frowned "Almost two months by now, why?" Hermione's eyes widened in shock. _"TWO MONTHS?! That's almost since school started… How could I have not noticed?"_ Hermione thought, rapidly trying to process that information, trying to leave out her comments of _"That bitch!"_ as she processed. Harry looked at his friend questioningly as she began to speak.

"Harry" she began. "I would prefer if you don't talk to Greengrass again." Her tone and posture was strong, as she looked fiercely at him. Hermione had done his a few times in the past and it had worked wonders in keeping Harry and Ron out of trouble.

Harry frowned "Why not? She's my friend too. I should be allowed to talk to her if I want." A stray thought flashed through his mind again _"Is she trying to limit my number of friends?"_

Hermione pursed her lips and said "Greengrass is dangerous, for all we know, she could have put your name in the goblet" Harry's frown deepened and asked.

"Didn't we agree that it would be impossible for me to have tricked the goblet? How is she any different?" he asked. His voice was raised again, a hint of anger beginning to form.

"As you said, Greengrass has access to family magic. I read that the Greengrasses are really dark, they probably have a spell that could do it" Hermione said, trying to keep her tone even despite her current desperation, a hint that Harry didn't detect.

Harry looked affronted as he remembered back to what he had read about some of the ancient families. Daphne's section on her own house was very robust and long, but Harry basically only remembered that the Greengrasses were farmers in the past, with ties to that industry still strong. Daphne had mentioned that some branches of her family supported Grindelwald in the past but her family had shifted their stance as a whole to a more neutral-greyish political view. This conversation had led to a lecture about politics which Harry couldn't wrap his head around.

"The Greengrasses aren't dark, not anymore at least" Harry said, looking at Hermione.

"I bet she told you that" Hermione bit back.

"She did, yes, but she also explained a bunch of things as well. Not everything is black or white, 'Mione" he replied

"You still don't need her help, Harry, I can do it myself" Hermione said, changing the subject. Now, Harry had fully caught on to Hermione's desperation. _"She_ _ **is**_ _trying to prevent me from making more friends"_ Harry thought, his frown deepening into an angry scowl.

"You are trying to stop me from making friends aren't you?" he demanded, causing Hermione to recoil in shock. "Harry, I –" she started but was cut off by an irate Harry

"No. If you aren't going to let me get help from others, maybe I don't need your help as well." Harry said as he fumed. He was beyond angry now. "Daphne was right; you are manipulative" he said bitterly.

Hermione's shock turned to anger as well "How dare you!" she screamed, almost wanting to slap her friend in the face. "How much have I done for you over these years? Hm?" she fumed "Who figured out who Nicholas Flamel was? Who figured out what Slytherin's monster was? I did!" her angry voice reverberated across the castle grounds as the two friends glared fiercely at each other. Moments passed before Hermione looked away from the intensity that was Harry's stare.

"Don't you see Harry?" Hermione said softly "Greengrass is pushing us apart. Please don't let this happen"

Harry considered his friend's words. His first thought was to comfort Hermione, tell her that she was right. But as he thought on, his thoughts shifted to the opposite of the spectrum. Hermione had been influencing him to not make as many friends, that much was apparent to Harry. With a cold look, he began to talk again.

"No, Daphne isn't the one who pushed us apart. You are. By driving me away from making more friends" He walked away without another word, leaving Hermione speechless in the middle of the path they were on.

* * *

 _Later..._

Harry groaned as he lay back on his bed, exhausted from the day he had been having so far. On one hand, the Gryffindors seemed to love him, hailing him as a hero, even though he repeatedly told them he didn't enter himself in the cup. On the other, the rest of the school seemed to have grown several degrees colder towards him in the span of a few hours. Harry had to duck around every corner to make sure he wasn't about to get hexed by a vengeful Hufflepuff, or glomped by a passing Gryffindor fangirl.

Potions class had been a veritable nightmare as Snape coldly glared at him at basically any opportunity. Malfoy and his gang didn't make it any easier, constantly whispering taunts and teases at him from across the dungeon hall when Snape wasn't looking. Even Daphne seemed infinitely more guarded at him, barely even acknowledging his presence when they bumped into each other as they filed out of the room, a fact that hurt Harry more than he was willing to admit. All in all, it was one of Harry's worst days yet, right after Halloween of 1981 (which he could barely remember).

"Hey Harry" said a low voice from the doorway. It was frowned as he glanced up at his ex-best friend.

"What is it Ron? Back to yell at me more have you?" Harry said, tersely. He steeled himself, trying to mimic an expression he had seen Daphne make when she got irritated by putting on a neutral mask as he focused his irritation through his eyes. However, he was quite shocked at what came out of Ron's mouth.

"I'm sorry" Ron said quietly. Ron was staring down at his on feet, seeming like he wanted nothing but to be swallowed up by the red carpet that lined the dorm's floor.

Harry sat up in surprise and let out a "What?"

Ron sighed and repeated himself. "I said I'm sorry Harry. For yelling at you and not believing you when you said you didn't do it." Ron shuffled around awkwardly as Harry watched him. Harry's surprise had quickly worn off. In a slightly irritated tone, he asked "What took so long?"

Ron gave a light chuckle "Believe it or not, it was Tracey who talked some sense into me"

 _Flashback_

Potions was just about to end for the fourth-year Gryffindors and Slytherins. As usual,Ron was slowly finishing his potion though he was much more behind than usual. He gave a sideways glance at his ex-best friend, who remained sitting next to him because there were no other spare seats that either were willing to sit in. As a result, the two sat as far apart as they could, each on the edges of their seats as they worked silently on their potions. However, Ron still couldn't concentrate. He couldn't figure out why Harry did what he did.

Soon the class ended and Ron slowly packed up his belongings. He wasn't seething anymore but still decided to not talk to Harry. Hermione seemed on edge as well and left without a warning. Harry too left soon, probably out for a walk or back to the common room, Ron supposed. Making a quick decision, Ron decided to wander around aimlessly on the corridors.

He had made it to the first floor before someone grabbed him and dragged him into a nearby unused classroom. "Gahh!" squealed Ron, who felt himself being swept off his feet into an unfamiliar room. Hastily, he took his out his wand from his robes, ready to cast a hex at his assailant but stopped when he saw who it was.

"What is it Davis, I'm not in the mood" he muttered.

Tracey pursed her lips and expressed an angry pout. "What. Happened." Ron looked confused as she elaborated "to you, Harry and Hermione"

"You know what happened. Potter entered himself into the Triwizard Tournament and didn't help anyone else do it" he grunted crossly. Tracey suppressed a snort as she replied

"Do you really think that? Potter might be powerful, especially for our age but for him to trick the cup into spitting out his name as a fourth, unnamed school's champion? And get pass all the barriers that Dumbledore himself put up?" she asked challengingly. Ron looked affronted but looked away. "He could have used some other method." Ron argued indignantly.

Tracey rolled her eyes. "Really Ron, I know you don't think that's true. You know Harry better than anyone, if he really knew how to enter himself, would he have not at least told you? Aren't you two supposed to be best mates?" Ron's eyes widened slightly. He nodded slightly, mostly convinced but still irritated.

Tracey nodded victoriously as she asked another question "Alright, so we cleared that up. So what's wrong with you?" she asked. Ron looked at her in surprise but didn't speak. The two stood in silence for a while before she spoke again.

"Look, Ron, I know that there's something that's bugging you. You knew that Harry didn't put his name in the cup even before we spoke but you still act like he did. So spill. What's wrong?" she implored, edging closer to the Weasley boy. Ron began to redden at Tracey's close proximity to him and began to squirm before he relented.

"Ugh… Fine." He looked away from the brunette as he spoke. "You know the twins, yeah?" he asked, prompting Tracey to nod. "They're brilliant. Never take their schoolwork seriously, only got three owls between them, but their pranks?" Ron trailed off as Tracey nodded once more, prompting Ron to continue. "Apart from them, I've got three older brothers. Bill, my eldest brother was Head Boy, aced his O.W.L.s, his N.E.W.T.s and is the youngest Gringotts curse-breaker in decades. My brother Charlie? Quidditch Captain who is one of the youngest dragon researchers worldwide. Then you have Percy, who was Head Boy last year, aced all his O.W.L.s too. See where I'm going with this?" he asked. Tracey put her hand up, stopping the redhead from rambling on.

"I have a question" she stated. Ron nodded and she continued. "Who was the person who beat Professor McGonagall in chess in his first year?" Ron looked confused for a moment before his eyes widened massively. Tracey smirked and continued "Harry told Daphne who told me. Apparently, Harry said you were absolutely brilliant. Anyways second question. Who was the person who ran into the forest to save a girl he barely knew a few months ago?" Ron nodded unsurely, not really understanding what Tracey was getting at.

"My point is, Ron, you aren't just some random person who has a lot of brilliant brothers and friends. You are a smart guy too, Ron, a genius even, if your working habits are as bad as I think they are" Tracey joked. By now, Ron was smiling a bit.

"Look, Ron. Remember what I told you when we became friends? Your friends need you as much as you need them. Right now, Harry is probably feeling all alone. He needs help to get through this year, or he could actually die." Ron's expression turned to one of horror. "What?!"

Tracey suppressed an urge to palm her face. "You never read about the history of the Triwizard Tournament? The reason why they cancelled it in the first place was because all three champions died on the last tournament in 1792 when the cockatrice they were meant to capture broke out. It even went and injured three of the judges before the tamers managed to calm it down" she explained. Ron fidgeted as he suddenly felt a wave of discomfort, his face reddening as he absorbed every word.

"I have to go now" he said quickly. Two steps towards the door, he stopped and looked back at the girl. "Thanks Tracey. For everything."

"Any time" she replied brightly, smiling as the boy ran out of the classroom.

 _End Flashback_

"And that's what happened" recounted Ron as Harry looked on amusedly. "So, in short. I'm sorry, mate. I really, really don't want you to die so I'll help you out as much as I can." Harry beamed. He couldn't hold it to himself to be angry at Ron any longer and the best friends reformed their relationship.

"So, what did I miss?" asked Ron, as he sat down on the bed. Harry froze at this statement and sighed gently. "Well, Hermione and I kinda had an argument as well," he said as he recounted what happened that morning. Ron looked very surprised at how Hermione had acted but listened intently at Harry's story. When Harry finished, the pair sat silently for another short while. Some of the background noise from the common room filled the air as the two friends mulled over what had happened. Eventually, Ron spoke up.

"Wow. I mean. Blimey!" Ron was barely articulate at the moment. He hadn't noticed Hermione trying to drive Harry and him away from others before but now, it seemed to become clearer.

"Hey, Harry?" Ron asked, cautiously.

"Yeah?" his friend answered dully

"Sorry mate."

"It's fine, Ron. You had nothing to do with it" Harry said. Ron shook his head

"I promise to be a better friend to you." Ron said as he sighed a bit before he continued "Though, all I seemed to be good at doing was being your friend, I guess I thought it was the only thing I could do. I mean really, even just compared to you and 'Mione, I'm good for nothing" Ron exhaled loudly. He didn't really know why but it felt great to say it out loud.

Harry watched surprised as Ron spoke out his heart. He was momentarily stunned. Harry had never thought that he had made Ron feel uncomfortable in their relationship. "Ron, you aren't good for nothing." Harry said firmly. Ron looked up and grinned at his friend.

"I know. If anything, I can beat the boy-who-lived _and_ the brightest witch in our year at chess. Hell, I even beat McGonagall once!" he said. Harry grinned at his friend's new attitude as they relapsed into normal conversation on their respective days, their argument all but forgotten by now. As steel is forged through fire, the crucible they just underwent made their friendship far stronger.

* * *

 _Date: Friday, November 4_ _th_ _1994_

 _Location: Potions Classroom_

The next few days had been hard on our favourite Gryffindor best friends but together they endured it. The Hufflepuffs were noticeably cool at Harry, the lessons that the lions and badgers had together seemed to be far less friendly than usual, especially as Professor Sprout, the Head of Hufflepuff, was teaching Herbology to the two houses at the same time. The Ravenclaws were equally distant, though there was no outright hostility. Many of the fourth and fifth year eagles were more irritated at how Harry managed to do something they could not than at the actual fact that he got into the tournament. The Ravenclaws in his year were hence badgered by their upperclassmen incessantly for information on Harry, thus leaving them less than friendly to the boy-who-lived.

The Slytherins were by far the worst. Malfoy and his gang had taken it upon themselves to make Harry's life miserable, creating charmed badges which wrote 'Support Cedric Diggory, The Real Hogwarts Champion' and 'Potter Stinks' at the wearer's discretion. The other Slytherins were less conspicuous about their opinions about Harry, but it didn't stop him from catching a wary glance from Nott or Roper. Worst of all, Daphne seemed to be ignoring Harry altogether, leaving the boy completely confused at her recent behaviour. This was the case during the double-potions class which Harry and Ron were currently in. Hermione had opted to sit next to Fay Dunbar today, leaving the seat on Harry's right woefully empty.

"Like them, Potter?" Malfoy said as Harry and Ron approached the dungeon door. The blond was pointing to the shiny green badge than was blazoned on his robes. He pressed the centre of the badge, flickering the burnt red words from the 'Support Cedric' message to the 'Potter stinks' message. This elicited howls of laughter from Malfoy and most of the Slytherins. Daphne and Tracey shuffled awkwardly at how sycophantic their housemates were acting, keeping neutral faces all the while.

"Oh ha-ha" said Ron sarcastically as he stopped walking.

"Want one, Weasley?" asked Malfoy in a domineering tone "I've got loads. Bet its worth more than your entire house" He and his cronies began another round of guffaws, much to the dismay of Daphne and Tracey, who had to suppress a sudden urge to palm their faces. After all, Slytherin must show a united front at all times, even if some of their housemates acted far more like Gryffindorish Hufflepuffs at times…

Ron angrily stepped up to the Malfoy heir. "What was that?" he said, his anger evident in his face. The boy drew his wand as he gazed at the blond in front of him. Tracey's expression morphed into one of concern for a moment but one look from Daphne prevented her from doing anything. Around the pair, the students rallied to their respective combatants. Whispering, Pansy began casting silencing charms at the dungeon door and was joined by Blaise Zabini in her endeavour. Daphne frowned and began to cast the counter-charms while Tracey looked on.

"Go on then, Weasley" Malfoy said quietly "Show us why I am the elite and you are the peasant. Do it if you've got the guts – no-one is here to protect you now" Harry instinctively drew his wand as well as the three boys stared at one another. Everyone backed into a wall to prevent themselves getting caught in the potential crossfire as Hermione watched on with concern etched on her face. And, as if as one, the boys moved.

" **Furnuculus!"** yelled Harry

" **Densaugeo"** cried Draco

" **Slugulus Eructo"** screamed Ron

The three spells sailed through the air, Harry and Draco's spells clashing and getting thrown off course. Ron's curse flew straight at Draco, who immediately ducked and allowed Crabbe to get hit behind him, who cried out in shock as a slug tumbled out of his mouth. Beside him, Goyle had gotten stuck with an overpowered pimple jinx, causing painful boils to erupt on his face. Across the hall, Hermione was struck down by Draco's tooth growing spell, her teeth rapidly expanding out of her mouth. As the casualties of the confrontation writhed in pain, Snape had arrived and dealt with the situation by deducting seventy points from Gryffindor and giving detentions to both Ron and Harry. The former bit back a list of curses he wanted to use at Snape as he went over to see if Hermione was fine while Harry only gave her a clandestine glance. The girl nodded curtly and quickly scampered into the dungeon, leaving Harry and Ron outside on their own.

Class quickly commenced, with a smirking Draco jeering as the Gryffindors present stared daggers into Snape's back for deducting so many points unfairly. Harry and Ron got to work on the deceptively useful Girding Potion, a potion that they had learnt last year. However, their anger at Snape prevented them from progressing properly, a fact that was noted by Snape (and they were thusly reprimanded for it).

On the other side of the room, Tracey had, as per usual, finished her potion much faster than most of the class. She looked towards her best friend to see how she was doing and noticed something strange. Daphne seemed to work less concentrated than usual, her hellebore leaves were slightly mismatched in size and the powdered mackled malaclaw tail was uneven. Tracey frowned at her friend's strange behaviour but decided not to question her yet.

She looked over to the Golden Trio, ahem, Golden Duo. Predictably, the two were far behind her in terms of Potion making speed but the two friends seemed much happier. Ron gave a glance in Tracey's direction and gave her a quick grin, which she returned with as much happiness. On the other hand, though, Tracey easily noticed Hermione sitting far away from her usual spot which made her frown slightly. Oh well, Hermione could take care of herself.

Another sweep of the room found Pansy Parkinson glaring at her. Tracey began to frown. Pansy's opinions of Tracey had always been low, as the brunette had never allowed herself to be subjugated but the spoiled Parkinson, despite being a 'filthy half-blood' as Pansy would say. It didn't help that Tracey was best friends with Daphne, a person who had equal social clout as the Parkinson heir and thus neither had power over the other. However, this most recent batch of thinly veiled hatred stemmed from the lack of a shiny green badge on her robes.

You see, Draco and Pansy had convinced a majority of Slytherin house, in all years, to wear the badges. Those who were sycophantic to Malfoy eagerly agreed to wearing the badges. Others soon followed to simply curry favour with Malfoy, or to keep themselves out of the spotlight. Soon, only a few people chose not to wear the ridiculous green badge in Slytherin. Daphne and Tracey had an unspoken agreement to not wear the badges, something which had highly irked the Parkinson.

Pansy had tried to get some higher years to bully the chestnut haired half-blood into wearing the badge but luckily for Tracey, Daphne showed up and the thugs retreated, not willing to risk getting hexed by the Greengrass heir, or worse, getting their parents involved in a schoolyard affair. Since Draco had flat out refused to get involved in the matter, Pansy was left without anything else to use. Because of this, Pansy had been intermittently gushing at Draco and glaring at the two deviants that sat in front of her. Tracey gave the girl a cheeky smirk as she carried on staring back in front, causing the pug faced girl to glower.

The door to the dungeon suddenly flew open as a mousy brown haired Gryffindor walked into the room. Snape got up and privately conversed with the young boy, who seemed to turn redder by every word.

"Very well! Potter – take your bag and get out of my sight!" sneered Snape as he concluded the conversation. Ron quickly patted Harry on his back as the youngest Triwizard champion took off with the younger Gryffindor.

The fourth year Gryffindors and Slytherins had quietly yet quickly gotten out of their potions class, where Professor Snape had dismissed them. Most of the Slytherins were jeering at Hermione, who had quickly run off towards the Hospital wing to fix her currently oversized teeth. Ron watched sadly as his sort-of ex-friend walked away as he felt a tap on his shoulder. Tracey silently motioned him towards a separate corridor, away from the boorish crowd that was still watching the fleeing Hermione. Ron nodded and clumsily, albeit strangely silently walked to the corridor.

The pair walked silently for a short period of time before Tracey led Ron to an unused classroom. Ron look suspiciously for a moment before the impatient Tracey dragged him in.

"Seriously, you still don't trust me?" Tracey asked frowning at Ron "Even Daphne didn't take this long, or Theo for that matter"

Ron shrugged as he continued to listen to Tracey's rant "Also, could you be any noisier when you walk? I had to cast a silencing charm on your feet!" Ron's head moved upward as he learnt why his clumsy footsteps made no noise just now.

"Ughh" moaned Tracey as she sat down on a nearby chair. Ron took a moment to look around the classroom. Like the usual potions dungeons, the room was wide spacious, dimly lit with low hanging green lamps. The few tables and chairs that were still in the room showed signs of wear, even though the furniture had protective and lasting enchantments on them.

"Anyways," said Tracey, breaking Ron out of his thoughts, "You made up with Harry?" Ron grinned at this, nodding somewhat vigorously. "Thanks for what you said, it really helped me"

"No problem," Tracey replied "anyways, I was wondering something. How is Harry's training for the tournament going? It's in three weeks so how is he?"

Ron frowned a little but answered her "Harry is alright I guess; we don't really know what to do so we've mostly been practicing the spells we know." He gave Tracey a shrug as she continued to ask "Like what?" Naturally, Tracey had heard many of the awe-inspiring rumors that propagated the Hogwarts hallways, some that were plausible to some that were obviously false to even some which seemed so strange it looped back around to being plausible. Naturally, Tracey was highly curious about the boy-who-lived power and had incessantly pestered Daphne to find out more information, to which the blonde had either disregarded or forgot (Tracey refused to believe that Daphne Greengrass could not get information out of Harry Potter).

"Mostly the spells we have learnt this year; it's not like we know many more spells. Hermione's the one with all the knowledge, we usually just followed what she said" he explained, scratching his head in contemplation. His words broke Tracey out of her benign fantasies of Harry's mysterious powers. She stood in shock as Ron stared right back at her, confusion beginning to form on his face.

"So you're telling me" Tracey said after a few moments of disbelieving silence "That Harry Potter doesn't know any super-secret or super powerful spells, nor does he have a group of elite aurors teaching him?!" Ron stared blankly at Tracey as he replied "Err… No?"

Tracey started slightly as she realized she had accidentally stated some of her false assumptions as Ron continued "I mean; he has the Patronus Charm but I'm pretty sure you knew that already" Ron glanced at Tracey who nodded slightly. That had been one of the more plausible rumors that had circulated (unlike the ones where he was apparently the heir to all the Founders' Houses). Some people had even claimed that Harry had cast the Patronus against the Malfoy and his cronies during the Quidditch match against Ravenclaw last year, even though most others had chalked it up to the **Fumos Blanche** spell instead.

Suddenly, Tracey started. "Wait…" her mind processed the information she had just received and she had a shocking realization. "So Harry Potter is planning on entering the Triwizard tournament with only third-year spells, a handful of fourth year knowledge and the Patronus Charm?!" Tracey had walked up to Ron once more, her eyes gleaming with incredulity. Ron got flustered and only managed to nod as Tracey's jaw dropped.

"He knows that he can die, right?" she demanded, to which Ron nodded. "So why isn't he trying to learn anything else?"

Ron frowned and thought a little. The answer to him was obvious. Harry and Ron simply did not have the resources (or rather, the ability to utilize the resources) to get more useful spells for Harry to use. With close to no information about the upcoming task, Ron and Harry agreed that they would be better off making sure Harry was able to do all that he knew, rather than attempt to learn new spells without proper guidance, a feat that they knew was highly difficult to do. He barely even considered lying or not answering Tracey as he spoke.

"We don't know anything about the first task so Harry and I decided that it would be better for him to practise what he knows rather than try something new."

Tracey's eyes narrowed as she persisted "What you mean is, you two can't figure out what to learn, am I right?" she demanded, casting a piercing glance at Ron, who partly wilted at the unexpected hostility displayed. "Couldn't either of you just have gone to the library to find some spells to learn from the higher years? Or asked anyone in our year for help?"

Ron was surprised at Tracey's rant, his emotions on full display on his face. It was only until Tracey began staring at him did he realize he was supposed to respond "Uh… we don't really know what to learn…" Tracey arched an eyebrow as he elaborated "I'm serious, Tracey! Neither of us really knows much about magical combat! I mean, we've been through quite a bit but we've never really used much actual magic to get through it!"

Tracey looked unimpressed. "And why didn't you ask anyone else for help?" Ron flushed and cast his eyes downward. He mumbled something incoherent, prompting Tracey to ask again.

"We don't really know anyone else in our year…" Ron muttered and he shuffled around in obvious discomfort.

Tracey frowned. Her preconceptions about the boy-who-lived had rapid fallen around her as she began to understand the magnitude of embellishment she had over the years pertaining to the legend of Harry Potter (especially from a certain Malfoy heir). With a sigh, she calmed herself and turned to Ron as she spoke. "Fine."

Ron looked over surprised. He was still nervous at dealing with the seemingly calm girl in front of him. He steeled himself for the onslaught that would erupt from the probably deceptively calm girl in front of him. Years of experience with dealing with an irate Molly Weasley née Prewitt, or a tantrum-throwing Ginny Weasley taught him to always be on guard when a girl was this quiet, but for all his experiences, none prepared him for what came next.

"I'll help"

Ron's face scrunched up in confusion. "What?" he offered blankly.

Tracey sighed again and reiterated "I said, I'll help you and Harry on the tournament perpetration. Morgana knows he needs it."

By now, Ron had given up on his expectations on the girl in front of him (again) and simply waited for Tracey to elaborate. "Look," she said "My dad's an auror right? He taught me a bunch of spells that I could learn in combat. I could probably teach you two some of what I know, that should work right?"

Ron nodded as she gave him a weak smile. "Alright, I'll have to owl my father to get some more information on the spells. When and where are you two practising next?" she asked, turning to Ron once more. The boy answered "Er… The classroom closest to the Dark Tower. Er… tomorrow after breakfast?"

"Good, I'll be there." Tracey answered. With a flourish of her robes, she turned. "Well, I hope you appreciate a girl like me taking time out of my weekend to help you two out." She said with a smirk. Ron grinned and nodded as Tracey left the room. With a start, he realized that he had been talking to her for a long time and quickly hurried back to Gryffindor Tower to put down his things before dinner.

* * *

 _Location: Daphne's Dormitory_

"So" said Tracey, glancing at the person lying on the bed in front of her.

"Hm?" replied Daphne, looking up from her reading of the book _Curse and Counter-Curses_ while sprawled on her bed. It was past curfew already, so the Slytherin common room was filled with people as usual. As such, Daphne and Tracey had decided relocated themselves into the former's room.

"I'm going to help Harry on his pre-tournament training" Tracey said casually. Daphne did not have any physical reaction, only giving an unladylike grunt in acknowledgement as she returned to reading.

Tracey frowned "Really? You aren't even going to say anything?" she asked, to which Daphne simply ignored. With a frustrated sigh, the brunette left the room, huffing slightly as she walked out the door.

Daphne frowned slightly as she watched Tracey walk away. For some reason, thinking about Harry Potter these past few days made her feel irritated for some reason and she didn't know why. Pursing her lips, she decided that she had enough of reading and went to sleep, trying to force herself from getting into a worse mood.

* * *

 _Spells Used:_

 _Furnuculus – Pimple Jinx_

 _Densaugeo – Tooth-Growing Spell_

 _Slugulus Eructo – Slug-vomiting Charm_

 _Fumos Blanche – White Smokescreen Charm_

 _A/N: A few differences from what happened in canon, let's see where it takes us_

 ** _Next Time: Realization_**


	9. Chapter 9 - Realization

" _Text"_ – Thoughts

" **Text"** – Spellcast

 _Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, JK Rowling does_

* * *

 _ **Chapter 9 – Realization**_

 _Date: Saturday, November 5_ _th_ _1994_

 _Location: Classroom 1D_

Harry and Ron were loitering in classroom 1D, waiting for their 'guest' to arrive. Like many other classrooms on this floor, the walls were simply grey stone, enchanted, of course but rather plain. The classroom itself was vacant, with a few random chairs and tables that littered the floor.

"Where do you think she is?" Harry asked after a while, receiving a shrug from Ron. The two boys had finished their 'practising' for now and were leisurely resting as they waited. It had already been an hour since the end of breakfast and so Tracey Davis appeared to be late.

"Should we use the map?" Ron asked as he took a bite out of a chocolate frog he had been eating as a 'snack' in between the training they had been doing. Harry frowned and gave his best friend a negative response as he looked around the room. From the corner of his eye, he spotted movement across the room. An inconspicuous distortion appeared in the space between the front of the room and Harry, who had his wand drawn and was about the cast a Full-Body Bind when–

"Wait!" Tracey cried as she dropped the disillusionment charm that she had been keeping up. The girl was impressed with the perceptiveness that Harry had displayed, as her disillusionment charms were very advanced for their age group. Harry kept his wand up as he sharply questioned "What were you doing, Davis"

Tracey bit back any snide remarks and simply answered "Alright, alright I'll answer, just lower your wand" Harry arched an eyebrow but did as she asked. Breathing deeply, Tracey answered the question "I was a bit earlier than you two to get here, figured that I could watch your practise and see what I needed to do to help" she explained

"And why didn't you reveal yourself when we were done?" asked Harry, whose suspicious look never left his face. Tracey gave Ron a slightly pleading glance but the redhead had already looked away. Sighing, Tracey responded to the interrogation "An old teaching tactic my father's trainer once used was to see how long it took for the trainees to detect the teacher. To be honest, I didn't expect you to even be able to find me but hey, you exceeded my expectations" she explained, giving a small shrug at the end. Harry nodded, satisfied, as he dropped his suspicions.

"So, what are you going to teach us?" asked Ron, finally joining the conversation. Tracey looked relieved as she thought about the question. As she had expected, Harry was remarkably powerful for their age, though his spell library was woefully small. "Do you two know the reductor curse?" she asked, receiving synchronized nods. "The explosion curse?" more nods "How about the blasting curse?" she gave a subtly impressed nod as she made her decision. "Alright, here's a spell that you probably don't know – ' **Virgaium'** , the tunnelling charm" she said. Harry and Ron nodded as Tracey began her lesson on the useful spell.

* * *

Hermione Granger was not having a good day.

No, scratch that.

Hermione Granger was having a terrible day.

Actually, it's a bit worse.

She was having a terrible week.

Ever since she had inadvertently been ousted as having 'manipulated' Harry to not making ore friends, she had become somewhat a social outcast. Most people didn't associate with her out of habit, or simply because she was assumed to still be in close contact with Harry Potter, the boy-who-keeps-getting-blamed. Harry, and by extension Ron, didn't talk to her either because of that incident. Hermione didn't know which one hurt most.

As she took out another book from the pile she had stacked up in the library, she thought to herself. Honestly, it really wasn't her fault. Though, she could have been a little less overbearing when it came to the boys, but that was just her personality wasn't it? A scruffy looking Viktor Krum walked into the library at that instant and sat on a close-by table. Hermione ignored the Quidditch superstar as she continued to think.

" _It's only natural for someone to want to monopolize their friends, right?"_ she asked herself. With a gloomy sigh, she realized that she had returned to her primary school social status – the bookworm who knew a lot but no-one cared much for. Hermione noticed a group of giggling girls fumble into to library at this, causing Madam Pince to hiss irritantly. Hermione shook her head as she focused on the root of her current problems.

Daphne Greengrass. Her nemesis, of sorts. Many thought that she had a greater rivalry with Pansy but in truth, her relationship with the Greengrass heir was far more volatile. Yes, Daphne had never outright attacked Hermione, verbally or otherwise (a stark opposite to what Pansy had done over the years), but the blonde favoured using subtle attacks, sly tactics and other shenanigans that made Hermione's toes curl. She let out a low hiss as her irritancy at Daphne hit a maximum.

" _She thinks she is_ _ **so**_ _perfect, with her good looks and pure-blooded resources"_ Hermione thought angrily. _"Doesn't have to work a day and everyone still fawns over her"_ This brought her back to an incident that happened the previous year, an anger-inducing memory that she had tried to bury.

 _Flashback_

"Greengrass, Daphne" said Professor Septima Vector, who was calling out the class register. The woman looked up in surprise as recognition dawned on her face. "You are Genevieve Lancaster daughter, aren't you?" she asked, to which Daphne nodded. "She and her friends were excellent students of mine, I expect you to do very well in this field. Hermione glanced at the blonde Slytherin, who held an impassive face with slightly upturned lips. Frowning, Hermione continued to steal curious looks at the blonde as the professor called out the rest of the register as the class formally began.

Professor Vector began a lecture on what Arithmancy was, which Hermione listened intently to, despite having already read her textbook (and two other ones) cover to cover. Soon, the professor had stopped explaining the course and began to ask starter questions to the class.

"Who is the most famous arithmancer to date? she asked. Two hands shot up straight in the air. _"Already trying to get ahead"_ Hermione thought as she noticed Daphne's hand raised _"Doesn't the teacher like her enough already?"_ The blonde looked back at Hermione with a slightly hostile look, causing Hermione to frown. Not noticing this, Vector chose Daphne to answer "Bridget Wenlock, for the discovery of the properties of seven and twelve", causing Vector to give her approval.

After a few more minutes of lecturing and work, Vector asked yet another question. "What law is attributed as the key to modern Arithmancy?" Silence reigned across the room yet again as two familiar hands shot up. _"Again?"_ thought Hermione, who was beginning to get irritated. Daphne Greengrass was never like this, usually blending into the background in classes unless called. So why was she doing this now? Daphne once again got to answer the question, causing Hermione to frown, anger seeping into her. _"That was MY question!"_

The lesson continued in a similar pattern, every time Vector asked a question, no-one but the two girls would raise their hand. Hermione got to answer a few of the questions posed, though a majority fell to the Slytherin, who answered eloquently yet concisely. After the next hour of agonizing lack of questions (on Hermione's part), the lesson ended. Hermione decided to approach Daphne, who was swiftly packing her things into her moleskin bag.

"Greengrass" Hermione said neutrally. Daphne looked up at her, a look which Hermione determined seemed patronizing etched on her face. Daphne didn't respond, merely staring into Hermione's eyes. Hermione almost took a step back at the unnerving nature of the stare but held her ground "Why did you have to answer so many questions?" she asked, a hint of impatience edging into her speech.

Daphne's expression changed momentarily as she answered the bookworm's question "I'm simply good at the subject." With this, Daphne sauntered off to her next class, leaving Hermione lost, bewildered and most importantly, irritated. _"How dare she?!"_

 _End Flashback_

What originally was a small irritation only got exacerbated every Arithmancy class. While the class quickly became Hermione's favourite, her irritation at the Greengrass heir only increased at an equal rate. The two fought bitterly to answer the Professor's questions, to the point where some of the other students had set up a small betting pool to see who would 'win' the more amount of questions.

The one time when Hermione missed a question, Daphne had immediately caught onto her mistake and had given the correct answer before Hermione could even react. The victorious smirk that Daphne had on her face cemented the hatred that Hermione now had.

In present time, Hermione continued to seethe as she looked at the book in front of her. Back then, everything was so simple. Harry and Ron were her friends and it was them against the world. Greengrass was a distant worry, as she never interacted with Harry or Ron at all, allowing Hermione to keep that part of her life aside. Now, Harry hated her, Ron couldn't pick a side and Greengrass and Davis were probably about to sweep in and steal Hermione's friends from her for good.

Hermione wasn't going to let that happen. No, she had already almost lost her friends once and she wasn't about to let that happen again. Breathing deeply, she placed her full concentration on the large red book in front of her, titled _The Triwizard Tournament: An Extended Account_. She was going to show Harry (when he came around) and Ron that she was the only person they need to help Harry in the tournament.

* * *

Across the school, Daphne bit back another sneeze which seemed to be plaguing her today. Tracey was still training Potter and Weasley in preparation for the tournament, a task which Daphne thought was ultimately was useless. After all, know-it-all Granger was probably teaching them everything they needed anyways., probably even disregarding poor Tracey as she tried to help.

Daphne sniffed, an air of pompousness surrounding her. Harry James Potter. Her current greatest source of irritation. Meeting Harry Potter was a great blow to Daphne's self confidence in character analysis. At times, he acted like a clueless Gryffindor and at others, a resourceful Slytherin. She didn't understand him and it highly annoyed her. It didn't help that she now always felt guarded when she was in proximity with him, another thing she didn't get.

" _Maybe I would understand him more if I followed Tracey's advice…"_ she thought. As always, hindsight was a bitch. Daphne frowned as she mentally kicked herself for not doing so sooner. _"And now I won't have a chance, with Granger sticking next to him at all times"_ Daphne's irritation at Harry began to fade, as her anger at her Gryffindor rival was rekindled as she remembered the start of their enmity.

 _Flashback_

Daphne had slowly walked into classroom 7A, the room where Arithmancy was taught. Sitting at the front was the slightly old Professor Vector, who looked appraisingly at her prospective students. Daphne had heard many stories from her mother about how bedazzling Professor Vector was when the elder Greengrass was still at school. Genevieve Greengrass often sang the praises of the old arithmancer, and the admiration was well reciprocated as Eve had made a small fortune on some of the spells she and her friends had made. As a result, Daphne had decided to take the class herself, to see if she has the talent that her mother has.

The old professor began with the customary welcoming speech before she began calling the register. Daphne listened intently as her name was called.

"Greengrass, Daphne" Daphne raised her hand as she looked into the professor's eyes. _"Oh no"_ Daphne thought as she saw the look that Vector was giving her. She had seen this look on many other teachers before, none directed at her but seen often enough. Snape had given Tracey this look, very briefly of course but long enough for Daphne to catch it. Professor Lupin had given the same look to Harry Potter (though Daphne already knew why). Now, the same vibrant and expecting gaze was directed at her, causing the young Slytherin to almost cower in pressure.

"You are Genevieve Lancaster daughter, aren't you?" she asked. Daphne wanted to curse but bit back her frustration as she stiffly nodded. The pleading thought _"Really, Professor Vector, please don't compare me to my mother!"_ briefly floated through her mind as Daphne tried to school her emotions as best as she could. "She and her friends were excellent students of mine, I expect you to do very well in this field" said Vector, as she gave the blonde another approving nod as the roll call continued. Daphne cringed but said nothing.

It wasn't that Daphne was embarrassed of her mother, far from it. Eve Greengrass worked as somewhat of a charms mistress, inventing useful spells for daily use or enchanting objects to do so. According to many people, friend and foe alike, the elder woman was somewhat of a prodigy in the field (a claim she relentlessly denied as she cited the combat spells made by her friends). Daphne held her mother's abilities in high regard but, like with her father's duelling prowess, Daphne felt somewhat overshadowed by two exceptionally powerful people. Perhaps Daphne was just a person with high standards, but nonetheless, she always measured herself up to her parents' seemingly insurmountable capabilities.

The Arithmancy class formally as Daphne was brought out of her thoughts. Professor Vector began to give an awe-inspiring speech on the subject. Naturally, Eve had given her daughter a few lessons on her favourite branch of magic but the Greengrass woman's speech on Arithmancy was a far cry from the amazing nature of the magic that Vector had invoked in Daphne. The young girl was immediately captivated by the speech, her thoughts fully trained at the woman ahead of her, missing the suspicious glances that was thrown at her by Hermione.

The lesson progressed at a rather slow speed, going over the course's syllabus for far too long (Daphne blamed the presence of Stephen Cornfoot and Kevin Entwhistle) before Vector called on the first question of the day. "Who is the most famous arithmancer to date?" she asked. Daphne of course knew this; a piece of knowledge she had held on to since she had first picked up a book on her mother's best subject. _"Well, I hope I can show my proficiency in the subject now"_ Daphne's hand shot straight up to answer the question, uncontested apart from one other hand.

Daphne glanced briefly backwards exasperatedly and looked at Hermione. The bookish Gryffindor frowned but didn't comment as Vector picked Daphne to answer. Trying to keep her tone neutral, Daphne replied "Bridget Wenlock, for the discovery of the properties of seven and twelve." Vector smiled in approval saying "Well done, your interest in the subject certainly matches your mother's." Daphne tried to keep herself from cringing as she weakly smiled at the Professor, who simply went back to lecturing the class. Daphne felt a strange feeling emanating from behind her and sent a furtive glance in the direction, spotting a frowning Hermione Granger. _"What's her deal? It's not like she doesn't answer every other question in every class."_ Daphne frowned but went back to listening to the Professor.

As the class progressed, Daphne continued to listen intently as she took down notes and attempted to answer every question that the professor posed. Honestly it wasn't that difficult for the Greengrass scion, for the answers for all of them were drilled into Daphne's head when she first started learning Arithmancy. Each time, the professor gave a nod of approval, though her expression didn't change, a sign that Vector viewed her ability as a product of her mother's ability rather than her own. Daphne was determined to change this.

However, her greatest obstacle was the person behind her. Hermione Granger had been intermittently glaring at her as the lesson progressed. Although Daphne was usually able to brush off other people's opinions about her, Granger's incessant looks were becoming highly irritating, to the point where her concentration was split in three, severely irritating the blonde. Daphne did not hate many things, but pests who interfered with her goals? That went on the short list.

After the class ended, Daphne was quietly packing her belongings, ready to go to charms when one of the sources of her frustrations walked in front of her. Daphne looked up and cast an appraising glance at Hermione Granger. The two had never formally interacted outside of in-class work, which was close to non-existent between the two of them.

"Greengrass" Hermione said neutrally. Daphne looked up at her, trying to mask her irritation at the bushy haired girl _"What do you want now, haven't you annoyed me enough today?"_ The blonde kept as neutral a look as possible but did not reply, trying to prevent her emotions from escaping.

"Why did you have to answer so many questions?" Hermione asked, an impatience and irritation evident in her tone. Daphne almost lost control of her mask as she felt incredulous at the Gryffindor in front of her. Her body froze up as she tried to calmly answer: "I'm simply good at the subject." Immediately after, Daphne strode towards the door as quickly as she could, only one thought on her mind _"How dare she?!"_

 _End Flashback_

Things just got worse between the two from there. Daphne shook her head to rid herself of the irritation. _"Damn Potter"_ she mentally grumbled. _"For his sake, he better be grateful for what I am going to do_ " Daphne took out a fresh sheet of parchment and began to write.

 _Dear Father,_

* * *

"Achoo!" sneezed Harry, accidentally firing a white flash of light from his wand. Ron, who was sitting across from him, panicked as the unintentional stinging hex struck him in the face, knocking him back and off the table he was sat on. Tracey and Harry ran over to the fallen Gryffindor, who moaned in discomfort.

"Mate, I'm sorry!" Harry exclaimed as he examined his best friend, whose face bad began to erupt in growth of different sizes.

"Is it bad?" Ron asked. Harry shifted uncomfortably at this.

"You look like an avocado, who had sex with an older avocado…" Tracey quipped. Harry and Ron stared at her curiously as she held up her hands in defence. "Hey! I call 'em as I see 'em." Harry turned back to his best friend as they shared a mutual shrug.

"Well, let's get to the hospital wing," said Harry as he stood up. The room they were in was mildly damaged, with a few broken and singed pieces of furniture that lay about the room. A few small holes also lay across the ground, hastily refilled by the trio using the **Gemino** charm on the floor around it. Harry and Ron got up, the latter groaning slightly as they looked at Tracey.

"Thanks, Da–" started Harry as Tracey gave him a look "Tracey. Thanks for all the help. If you don't mind, could you come to another one of these sessions?" Tracey nodded and said "Just tell me when and where, I'll see if I can show up." Harry smiled at her. Ron tried to as well but his face's disfigurement turned the grin into a somewhat unsettling grimace. The best friends gave her a wave as they strode towards the hospital wing, leaving Tracey alone in the room.

The brunette too got to her feet as she began to walk back to the dungeons as she lost herself in her thoughts. She didn't know what to expect when she agreed to train Harry Potter for his upcoming challenge, with all the conflicting rumors, whispers and facts that seemed to float around. Put simply, the boy-who-lived was an enigma to some extent. In the 'session', Tracey found that Daphne's assessment of Harry to be very correct (not that she expected otherwise). Harry Potter was not a particularly fast learner but was able to occasionally make leaps of logic and grasp concepts (or spells) to learn faster than his usual pace. Ron's learning was more logic based, often analogies would be able to get through to him faster than conventional teaching.

Inwardly, Tracey was impressed at her new 'students'. Although most evidence suggested otherwise, Harry and Ron were not particularly powerful wizards … usually.

 _Flashback_

"Alright, on three. One… Two… Three!" Tracey instructed.

" **Confringo!"** came matching cries from Ron and Harry. The stone blocks that had been conjured for their training shattered under the strength of the Blasting Curses, a thundering noise accompanying the rush of dust that blanketed the immediate area.

"Aw man" moaned Ron as he noticed the difference between their blocks. Harry's one was obviously more fractured, while the core of Ron's block was still mostly intact. Harry blushed in embarrassment as Tracey frowned.

"Alright Ron," she said as she walked towards the boy. "Imagine that the rock is an acromantula!" Ron paled briefly as he frowned. "What does that have anything to do with my power?" he wondered aloud. Harry stayed silent but listened intently.

"Just trust me, alright?" Tracey said, moving closer towards Ron. The redhead's frown persisted but he complied. As he closed his eyes briefly, Tracey put an illusion charm on the stone block, seemingly transforming it into a small sized acromantula. Once Ron opened his eyes, he rapidly paled and yelled **"Confringo!"** Immediately, the stone block was obliterated in a flurry of fine dust. Only when it cleared did it become apparent that the stone was not the only casualty of Ron's overpowered curse, as the enchanted stone tiles that made up the floor of classroom were also destroyed, a meter large hole tunnelled into the classroom floor.

"Wow Ron! That was amazing" exclaimed Harry, who joined his friend in a round of whooping. Tracey's jaw had dropped at the damage that Ron had (accidentally) wrought. _"How powerful is he?! Is his will and intent that strong?_

 _End Flashback_

In the past, Tracey had gotten many tips from her auror father on spellcasting. Naturally, she learnt of the cornerstones for magic: Magic Power, Concentration, Emotion, Intent and Will. The first was obviously trainable, the second was a case-by-case matter and the third a nebulous quantity that could easily be influenced or fluctuate. The fourth and fifth, however, were almost as much of wildcards. As it is often tied to emotion, the 'will' of a wizard to perform magic varied on how said wizard is feeling but is also tied to the wizard's character and upbringing.

It is because of this variable that some wizards are more prone to darker magicks, or why some wizards seem more powerful at times that others and to a lesser extent, why squibs and muggles cannot perform magic.

Intent on the other hand was more situational. This forms the basis of some of the more powerful magicks that exist in the world, such as some of the darker curses or stronger protection spells. The intent, or rather the strength of the wizard's intentions could mean the difference between a perfectly casted spell and a lethal magical explosion due to internal conflict.

Back to Ron, Tracey had observed the boy quite often. As lazy as Ron acted, his natural ability was often overlooked in preference of Harry's feats or Hermione's intellect. As such, Tracey could see that he usually felt no need to work hard to hone his skills and as a result, the former two cornerstones generally fell low on him. Tracey did not expect any more than equal results as what Harry achieved when she told Ron to visualize the acromantula (which she remembered was his greatest fear) but his actual ability almost astounded her. _"If even Ron can be so powerful, maybe some of the rumors about Harry are true after all_ " Tracey thought as she entered the Slytherin common room.

No-one noticed her entrance, a fact that Tracey took advantaged of as she hurriedly made her way into her dorm. Her eyes not fully adjusted to the darkness of the dungeon, she walked headlong into another person as she turned a corner.

"Ach" grunted Daphne, as she picked up the parchment she was holding. "Watch where you're going Tracey" The brunette mumbled an apology to her best friend as her eyes fully readjusted to the dim lighting.

"What's that?" she curiously asked. Daphne didn't answer as she picked up the parchment and walked past her best friend. Tracey's curiosity was peaked as she began to follow the Greengrass scion. "Wait up!"

The pair walked silently through and out of the common room. Upon arriving at ground level, Daphne made a quick turn towards the West Tower, walking quickly with Tracey hot on her heels. "Seriously, Daphne! Why are you walking so fast?" Daphne ignored her as the pair continued their journey. After a few minutes of walking, the pair arrived at the Owlery, where a red colored owl swooped down from a rafter.

Daphne took out her parchment at placed it into a compartment tied to the owl's foot. "Deliver it to Greengrass Manor" she said. The red owl hooted in reply and took off, leaving a red colored streak in the sky as it flew south. Daphne watched as her family owl flew away before she turned around and almost walked into an impatient looking Tracey.

"Alright, spill. What is with the cloak and dagger business?" Tracey asked. "Last time you were like this, I'm pretty sure Marlon Thicknesse was almost expelled." The two recalled a particularly nasty memory and the 'fitting' retribution that Daphne had inflicted on the older boy. Daphne's lips briefly upturned as she glanced at Tracey. "It was just a letter to father, nothing much else," she said casually.

"Then why were you being so secretive about it?" interjected Tracey. Daphne groaned at her friend's quick thinking. She was about to elaborate when Tracey carried on. "Don't give me the 'it was nothing important' speech again. Daphne Greengrass does not do anything without a reason, so tell me – what is it?" Daphne's gaze narrowed as she stared at the quick-witted brunette, who returned the gaze with equal fervour. A few terse moments passed, not a sound passed apart from the owls' hooting above them.

The moment passed as Tracey threw her arms up in mock defeat. "Alright, fine. I'll make you a deal. You tell me what is up with you these days and I'll give you a piece of information you want from me. Deal?" Daphne grumbled slightly but considered the offer. This would be a great chance for Daphne to learn why Tracey was acting so strangely after those DADA classes. It wouldn't really be much of a loss for Daphne either, so she nodded to accept the offer. Tracey smiled and began to speak.

"Alright, so what is going on with you this week? You're distant, more so than usual. I'd guess it had something to do with Potter getting into the tournament, seeing as you seem colder towards him…" The accuracy of Tracey's musing was not much of a surprise to Daphne, though it irritated her nonetheless. With a sigh, Daphne began to explain. "Yes, you are indeed correct," Daphne started, causing Tracey to give a miniature whoop of joy "It's just …" Daphne paused. It had been almost a week since the tournament's champion selection and Daphne was no closer to figuring out why she was so discontent with the youngest of the champions. Tracey looked at her friend questioningly as Daphne continued.

"Alright… I honestly don't really know why. I felt happy that he showed cunning," she said, her tone warbling slightly. Tracey's frown deepened. "You know he didn't put his name in right?" she asked. Daphne scoffed at her friend's answer. "Of course he did, how else would his name have ended up in the cup?"

"Someone else put it in, how would you explain how his name got in?" Tracey retorted, the volume of her voice rising. Daphne was beginning to get irritated as well as her volume and tone matched Tracey's. "Potter probably used some strange dark magic, who knows what he can do?"

"Yeah well, I do! Considering that I've been training him all morning!" replied Tracey. Daphne gave a humourless laugh "Of course you wouldn't know, why would Harry Potter, the Gryffindor Golden boy, use dark magic in front of you? He probably practises it on his own…" Daphne rambled. The pair glared at each other for a few more moments before Tracey spoke to reply.

"Really, Daphne? Are you even listening to yourself? Harry Potter is not like that; we both know it. It's not like he has the resources, or ability to cast something like that. Plus, he isn't one of our housemates. He's a bloody Gryffindor for crying out loud!" Tracey's volume had reached a yell, causing Daphne to briefly recoil at the ferocity displayed by the usually cheerful girl. The brief instance of pause made Daphne reconsider. Yes, she didn't know much about Harry Potter but was he as self-sacrificial or ambitious as she had made him out to be? As loosely defined as the term 'dark magic' was, it generally required some form of negative emotion or sacrifice to power the spell. Many Slytherins didn't care, only thinking to further their own goals but Harry Potter?

Tracey sighed with relief as she saw Daphne's change in expression. Tracey hated yelling, especially at her best friend but sometimes it really was the only way to get through to her. A few moments passed again, the owls that vacated their perches returning as the scene quieted down. After a while, Daphne looked up at Tracey. "Alright fine, Potter didn't do it. But how did his name get into the cup?" she wondered aloud. Tracey's smile turned into a frown as Daphne turned to her.

"Alright, my turn." Daphne spoke "Why are you always so morose after DADA classes?" Tracey's frown deepened but she had expected this. The younger girl cast her eyes downward slightly, her voice lowering to that of barely a whisper "I think my grand-uncle is being impersonated." Tracey's voice was embittered, showcasing the amount of thought that she had put into this thought. Daphne's eyes narrowed. This possibility had sort of occurred to her in passing when the blonde was trying to think of reasons for why Tracey was brooding, though she had almost immediately dismissed it. After all, who in Britain could ambush Mad-Eye Moody?

"So you think Moody isn't himself?" Daphne clarified, to which Tracey nodded. "And you think Potter and Weasley can help you with figuring out what is going on?" Tracey's eyes widened comically, causing Daphne to giggle slightly "Just as you've been saying. A Slytherin doesn't do anything for no reason." With a teasing smile, Daphne sauntered off back to the common room, with Tracey once again chasing her. "Wait!"

* * *

 _Date: Friday, November 11_ _th_ _1994_

 _Location: Gryffindor Tower_

The next few days rushed by like a blur for Hermione as she poured over countless books, recounts, reports and news articles that described the Triwizard Tournament. If she were not in such a one-track mental state, she would probably have marvelled at the different magicks that were used by previous tournament competitors.

However, even after a few days of research and analysis, Hermione was still barely closer to finding out what the first task would be about. _"The tournament really lives up to its reputation and variability_ " she thought after a long night's reading session, as she turned the pages of a book titled _The Duels of Centuries, The Triwizard Tournament_. Really, there were many very interesting (and gruesome) tasks that littered the tournament's rich history, including one where the champions were trapped inside an arena filled with various deadly traps and beast as they were told to kill each other to escape. Another interesting one featured a plant based chimera like beast, a fire wyrm and a water spouting _magicrustacus_ , where the champions had to pick one of the three to fight alongside them in a series of challenges.

However, despite how surprisingly much information Hermione was able to get from the various resources that the Hogwarts library boasted, she had yet to figure out anything that could really help Harry. The only things she could see as a common factor was that many of the challenges featured dangerous creatures as part of or even all of the champions' quest and that each tournament seemed to feature tasks revolving around the four classical elements - Earth, Water, Air and Fire. With an umpteenth sigh, Hermione closed the heavy and worn book. There was only one person Hermione knew who could have some idea about dangerous magical creatures, who luckily was one of Hermione's few (remaining) friends. With the same steely resolve she had used to keep herself going through the past week, she decided to visit Hagrid the next morning. With this final thought, Hermione packed away the books she had borrowed from the library and hurried into her dormitory.

As Hermione walked into the dorm, she spotted Lavender and Parvati engaged in an excited conversation and didn't show any acknowledgement to Hermione's entrance. On the other side of the room, Fay and Kellah were lounging on their beds, engrossed in casual conversation as they gave Hermione a distant wave. The bushy haired girl gave the pair a half-hearted wave in return as she placed her belongings back where she usually kept them, on the left side of the bed. Without a word, Hermione got herself ready for bed and went to sleep.

The morning came quite fast for the bushy haired bookworm as she arose far earlier than any of the others in the dorm. Right as her eyes opened, she quickly got herself ready as she strode out of her dorm, into the common room and out to the Great Hall for a quick breakfast. It had become somewhat a routine for Hermione to wake up early since her friendship with Harry and by extension Ron had been 'on hold'. Tears almost sprang into her eyes as the thought passed her head. She missed her friends dearly and wanted them back. It would be so easy, you know, for her to sneak into the boy's dorms, wake them up and apologise profusely. Harry would probably forgive her pretty quickly and Ron never even seemed mad at her to begin with so it would work out. However, Hermione was blocked from doing this not because of anything other than her stubborn pride. The same pride that was currently driving her to go see her largest friend as quickly as possible.

After a quick meal in the almost empty Great Hall, Hermione quickly trudged down the steps to go to the small hut on the edge of the forbidden forest. She had been here countless times, both for lessons and with Harry and Ron to visit the good natured gamekeeper. This time however, was special as it was the first time she was there alone. Making her way through the grounds brought back many great memories for the bushy haired girl, who's heart yearned for her friends once more. Gathering up her courage, she knocking sharply on Hagrid's door.

"Come in! It's not locked" said Hagrid from inside. With no small effort Hermione pushed open the heavy door and entered the strange smelling hut that Hagrid lived in.

"Oh hullo Hermione" said the large man in a jovial tone. He looked around briefly and asked "Where's Ron an' Harry?" Hermione immediately looked downward in sadness but tried to mask her disappointment. If Hagrid noticed her emotions, he either ignored it or simply refused to comment.

"They're … busy" Hermione lamely stammered, wanting to mentally curse herself for using such a bad excuse. Hagrid frowned slightly but replied "Well, tell them to drop by once in a while, how about next week?" Hagrid's joyous smile shook Hermione out of her wallowing, as she weakly returned the gesture.

"So, what brings you down here?" Hagrid asked as he walked over to a close-by table and took a slab of cauldron cake from it and offered it to Hermione. "Cauldron cake?" Hermione quickly shook her head "I already had breakfast but thanks for the offer" she replied. "As for why I'm here, I was wondering if you could tell me about any er… beasts that are coming to Hogwarts soon?" she asked. Hagrid's smile dimmed a little.

"Are yeh asking me if I know wha' the firs' task is?" Hagrid asked in a slightly disapproving tone. Hermione froze briefly but nodded anyways. "Can't tell yeh, I'm afraid" the large man said, shaking his head, "Fairness and all that…" Hermione's shoulders slumped as she felt herself run into another dead end. Sighing softly, she looked back at Hagrid. "Is there anything you can tell me?" she asked, in an almost pleading tone. Hagrid's brow furrowed, the immense plain that was his face crinkling in effort. After a few moments of pondering. Hagrid shook his head

Hermione's face fell a bit further. "Well, I best get going, I need to get back to trying to figure out what the tasks are" she said, standing up. Hagrid's face fell too as he called out to the bushy haired girl. "Oh yeah" Hermione turned back an tilted her head in response. "Tell Ron that his brother is visiting soon!" he said. With that, he waved Hermione out of his hut, a gesture Hermione took graciously.

As she walked back to the castle, her mind was back at work. She quickly deduced that it was Hagrid's way of giving her a clue of some sort. Ron's brother? Hermione had met all six of them of course and since the twins were still in school, they couldn't 'visit'. Next was Percy, who Hermione remembered was working as the secretary of an important ministry official. Would he visit? That seemed likely but how would Hagrid know this?

Hermione turned o the next brother she recalled, the eldest Bill Weasley. She recalled that the young man currently worked as the youngest (current) curse breaker at Gringotts. Hermione shook her head. No, Bill wouldn't be likely to visit, not for a task at least. As she walked up the steps, Hermione tried to wrack her brains to remember who Ron's second brother was. Suddenly, she froze where she stood.

Of course.

The second brother, Charlie Weasley.

He worked overseas, in Romania to be exact.

Hermione quickly turned white, her stomach felt queasy as she understood the implications of this. This was no time for stubborn pride, or waiting for Harry to realize that he needed her. Her best friend was going to die if she didn't help him, and Hermione was not going to let that happen. With speed comparable to that of a jet, the young Gryffindor sped towards the library.

* * *

Meanwhile, Daphne and Tracey had made it to the Great Hall for their breakfast. Around them, the denizens of the snake pit were casually conversing about their weekend plans. The best friend pair ignored the chatter around them as they focused on eating. In the week that had passed, Daphne had gotten noticeably less cold towards Harry, a change that had bewildered the boy, who had asked a giggling Tracey what was going on after a training session.

"Daphne is just being Daphne," she assured him, not really helping with his confusion.

Despite this however, Daphne continued to stay away from the training sessions that Tracey attended with Harry and Ron, not really giving a reason to Tracey when she was asked. Secretly, Daphne was still wary of Harry Potter, unreasonably perhaps but it was simply Daphne's way of doing things.

A loud rush of wind gusted down at the students, as a wave of owls flew in from the magical ceiling. Daphne easily spotted her family's red owl speeding towards her.

"Finally," she muttered, though only loud enough for Tracey to hear. With practised ease, Daphne popped a treat into the owl's beak as she took out the parchment that was contained inside the owl's pouch. Unsheathing her wand, Daphne tapped the Greengrass insignia that was emblazoned on the document as she whispered her family words, causing the letter to reveal its contents. Tracey curiously peered over Daphne's shoulder to try and catch a glimpse of what was written on the letter. Suddenly, the letter dropped from Daphne's hands onto her lap.

Tracey jolted in surprise and quickly glanced around the hall for signs of spellcasting. Finding no immediate threats, her eyes widened slightly as she saw Daphne's face rapidly paling. Reaching over to pick up the letter, Tracey skimmed through the contents written by Lord Greengrass until her eyes fell on the last line of the letter. She too whitened significantly as she stared in horror and shock at those words.

… _a clue for the first task, what should you never tickle?_

 _Regards,_

 _Lord Cyril A. Greengrass_

 _Nos Metere quod non Seruerimus_

* * *

 _Spells Mentioned/Used:_

 _Reducto – Reductor Curse_

 _Bombarda – Explosion Curse_

 _Confringo – Blasting Curse_

 _Virgaium – Tunnelling Charm_

 ** _Next Time: A Challenger Approaches_**


	10. Chapter 10 - A Challenger Approaches

_A/N: Sorry this took so long, exams are coming up and I need to use some time to revise for them thus slowing my update time_

" _Text"_ – Thoughts

" **Text"** – Spellcast

 _Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, JK Rowling does_

* * *

 _ **Chapter 10 – A Challenger Approaches**_

 _Date: Saturday, November 12_ _th_ _1994_

 _Location: Dungeon Corridor_

Daphne and Tracey ran from the Slytherin common room as fast as they could. Well, as fast as Daphne was willing to go while maintaining her sense of elegance. Either way, the pair were currently rushing towards classroom 1D.

"Of all the bloody creatures…" hissed Daphne, as Tracey cursed something similar albeit far more coarsely. Each step she took increased the amount of foreboding she felt, making her unconsciously pick up her pace.

Dragons.

Classed at XXXXX on the Scamander Scale of Magical Creatures, the gargantuan beasts were known wizard killers, capable of killing tens of well-trained wizards with a single strike. While their population had been mysteriously decimated about a millennium ago, each individual dragon was not weaker than their ancestors. These were all well versed facts that were currently running through the blonde's mind as she continued to run.

Turning the corner without stopping, Daphne crashed headfirst into another person, who seemed to be also moving at a really fast speed. A loud crash sounded and both Daphne and the other person were thrown to the floor.

"Ow!" cried a muffled Hermione, who was now covered in books. The bushy haired girl had been carrying an armful of books that she had borrowed from the library, piled up so high that she couldn't see a head of her.

"Watch where you are going!" Daphne hissed, her worry transforming into anger at the Gryffindor. Hermione too noticed the person she had just crashed into, causing her to glare. The two rivals ignited another hate filled staring match as Tracey caught up.

"Finally!" Tracey said, wheezing slightly as she stopped. The brunette's eyes were cast downward as she panted but they slowly worked their way forwards until they spotted the other girl in the corridor and frowned "Hermione?"

Hermione paused her glower and stared at her other 'rival'. Inwardly, the Gryffindor frowned. She had hoped to be able to talk to her ex-best friends in private and convince them to allow her to help them. However, it seemed that the Slytherins were here too, possibly to do something similar.

"What are you two doing here?" asked Hermione, trying to sound as casual as possible. Daphne was about to snidely reply but Tracey responded faster.

"We have something to urgently tell Harry and Ron, also I'm here to help them with their training, why?" Hermione's gaze narrowed as she began to frown. Trying to downplay her displeasure, she replied "You really don't have to, I can help them as much as they need"

Tracey seemed unfazed by this as she chirped back "Well, I've been doing this for the last week so I think I have a good grip on what Harry and Ron are at," she said with a cheerful simper.

Hermione's eyes widen as she heard the words. After her anger and Harry had worn off, Hermione had been worried that her blonde arch-rival would swoop in and fully turn her ex-best friend against her but was pacified when Hermione saw the coldness displayed by Daphne towards Harry. To her, Tracey was not a 'threat', as the brunette seemed to only hang around Daphne and not act on her own. With a steely glint in her eyes, Hermione began to think.

What should she do? On one hand, she had to keep Greengrass from influencing Harry as much as possible and on the other, she had to keep Davis from sinking her claws into poor Ron. _"Between a rock and a hard place, I am_ " she thought, considering her two options. However, she was jarred from her thoughts by Daphne's complaining tone.

"Where are Potter and Weasley, shouldn't they be here by now?" Hermione and Tracey froze for a second, before each casting a quick time charm. The bluish silvery mist flashed a dim '09:30' and Hermione palmed her face.

"They're still asleep."

* * *

Almost an hour had passed since the argument that the three girls had ended. Strangely, all three agreed to wait for Harry and Ron inside the room they were arguing in front of without speaking a single word to one another. Hermione, of course, was staying so that when the pair showed up, she could prevent the Slytherins from interfering with what she had to do. Daphne on the other hand was staying so that she could ensure that Granger would not harm Tracey (or that was what she convinced herself). Lastly, Tracey had the simplest reason for staying in the room.

She didn't have anything better to do.

The tension could be felt in the air as Hermione and Daphne spent half their time sending furtive but intense glances at one another and the other half staring holes into the walls opposite them. It took a large amount of self-control for Tracey to not burst out giggling (that was bad form) or speak a word to cut the tension (she wanted to see what would happen). Eventually, Hermione pulled out a book and began to read, an action that the Slytherin girls mimicked as they carried on waiting.

Not long after 10:30, Harry and Ron walked into their usual training room and found an unexpected sight. While Tracey had been sitting rather casually (for a Slytherin) on a random chair, Daphne and Hermione were there too, sitting in opposite corners of the room, reading different books on dragons. Because both of them were so engrossed in their reading, neither realized that their reason of waiting in the room had already arrived.

Noticing the boys, Tracey got up walked urgently towards them. A worried look marred her face, causing Ron to get confused while Harry frowned. Not willing to beat around the bush, Tracey spoke as soon as she got within a reasonable distance from the Gryffindor boys.

"Dragons," she said, her voice devoid of the usual cheer. A brief silence followed before Tracey elaborated "Dragons will be in the first task."

Another silence followed as Harry and Ron processed the information. Looks of horror and shock appeared on their faces.

"WHAT?!" they both exploded in disbelief. The loud sound jolted both Daphne and Hermione from their reading. The former calm closed her book and stood up while the latter quickly dropped hers and clambered to the entrance of the room.

"How did you know that?" asked Hermione, whose frown had reappeared. Tracey pointed at Daphne, who took out a piece of parchment. "Daphne wrote to her father, he gave us a hint and figured it out from it" Tracey elaborated. Hermione stood slack jawed, her eyes widened at her stolen thunder. Seeing as her rival was unable to respond, Daphne decided to add fuel to the fire.

"So how did you figure it out, Granger?" asked Daphne as innocently as she could muster. The girl in question froze up slightly and glared at the blonde "I did research in the library and asked Hagrid."

Daphne scoffed "The oaf? What can he tell you?" she snarkily asked. In front of her, Hermione looked incensed, which pleased Daphne, though she was confused at why Tracey seemed to be gesturing wildly at her from behind Granger. A few moments passed before a softer voice spoke from behind Daphne

"What did you call Hagrid?" Harry asked slowly. While inwardly angered (and hoping he heard wrongly) Harry tried to keep a neutral face on. Daphne turned around and glanced at Harry's expression. Her eyes widened a fraction as she caught onto Harry's distressed expression. Next to him, Ron was looking slightly confused but no less angered. Quickly thinking, Daphne backtracked and tried to cover her tracks.

"I…" she stammered, quite uncharacteristic for the usually stoic and composed pure-blood. Hermione arched an eyebrow as she stared unseeingly at her rival. With a heavy sigh, Daphne started again. "Alright, I called him an oaf. I shouldn't have though since I have never met him" Daphne forced out, hoping that her impromptu usage of what Tracey would say worked well. Given that Tracey seemed calmed, Daphne breathed out a small sigh of relief.

Harry nodded slightly, seemingly deep in thought. Ron's eyes darted from Daphne to Hermione to Harry. He too was irritated at the blonde's casual dismissal of Hagrid, though far less than what Harry was feeling. A few more moments passed before Harry spoke.

"Hagrid is one of my closest friends, I don't do well to people who insult him for no reason" he said in a similarly slow pace. Daphne held back the urge to gulp, the anger of Harry Potter evident to her. She felt like a first-year again, getting stared down by a menacing lion, or as Draco kept 'preaching' to anyone who would listen "the stone cold stare of the Dark Lord's Slayer". Naturally, Daphne, and the many other Slytherins who had met Harry, paid no heed to the Malfoy's claims as they had all met the boy-who-lived (and knew how he really was) and thus were not frightened by Draco's words. However, are she looked fearfully at the cold rage displayed, Daphne couldn't help but wonder if there was a kernel of truth in Draco's words.

What felt like hours to the blonde passed before Harry's gaze softened. "I can forgive you I guess," he said. His previously anger expression was now filled with what seemed like worry, a sign that Daphne took as his true forgiveness. Besides Harry, Ron shrugged slightly. He was still irritated but felt that it wasn't in his place to overturn Harry's forgiveness of the blonde (despite his own misgivings about her). Hermione on the other hand was not about to let it slide.

"But she insulted Hagrid," she cried "How can you forgive her like that?" Hermione all but demanded.

Harry shifted his gaze to his second oldest friend. With another icy look, he spoke. "If I couldn't forgive someone for something so small, I wouldn't have any friends. Daphne is a friend and so I forgive her." Hermione was at a loss for words, now angry at for what just happened. As she looked deeper though, Hermione was able to see the hurt look that Harry hid beneath his ire. The room was silent for a few moments, the occupants each processing what had just happened before a voice finally spoke up.

"Okay, if we have finally gotten past that," Tracey said, jarring the others back to reality "We need to get back to figuring out how to keep Harry from getting barbequed." Hermione frowned at her words.

"How do you know Harry is going to _fight_ the dragon?" Hermione asked, raising an eyebrow "There are many tasks where the champions had to collect objects from magical creatures, or ones that they had to cooperate with the creatures in order to complete their task" she said. Harry breathed a sigh of relief.

"Hermione's probably right" Ron said, surprising the rest of the room "Charlie said that most Dragons in reserves these days are more 'territorial' than aggressive" he said as he scratched his chin. Though both were quite surprised and impressed with the redhead's knowledge, Daphne gave no visible reaction, while Tracey beamed widely at Ron, causing the boy to blush slightly.

"That may be," replied Daphne "but in the worst case scenario, Potter will still need to face down a dragon in two weeks." Hermione wanted to take a jab at the blonde but refrained, seeing as that her rival was indeed right.

"So how am I going to get past this?" asked Harry, sitting down. The Slytherin girls looked at him in surprise. "You know you are fighting one of the most dangerous magical creatures out there, right?" asked Tracey, the disbelief barely kept from her tone. Daphne kept her face neutral but was equally surprised. Neither girl's astonishment was abated by the humourless chuckle that escaped Harry's lips. With an expression that seemed to age him a decade, he grimaced at his friends.

"Well, I seem to face danger every year," he said "At least it seems like I have time to prepare." At this, Ron grinned. Clapping his best friend on the back, he spoke up "Yeah, mate. We've gone through three years of things trying to kill you, we'll get through this one too." Ron's smile dimmed a bit as he looked down. "Of course, I won't be able to help much but I'll do my best." Harry frowned at his best friend's words but Tracey beat him to speaking up.

"Nonsense, Ron, you are probably the best person here to spar with Harry. You can definitely help a lot." Tracey said, offering a reassuring smile to the redhead. He glanced upwards, returning a weak smile to Tracey. Hermione frowned at the interaction but ignored it in favour of formulating a plan to help Harry.

"Alright, so Harry needs spells and knowledge on dragons. I can get those from the library." Hermione quickly said, counting off the items from her fingers. Turning to the Slytherins, "Thanks for the help but you aren't needed any more."

Daphne began to scowl, an irritated gleam beginning to enter her eyes. Tracey too frowned. "Hermione," she said with forced politeness, "You don't and shouldn't need to do everything yourself. Daphne and I are willing to help too. Plus, we have a few tricks up our sleeves that we can use to help him out." Hermione's gaze narrowed as she scoffed.

"What, Dark Magic? Thanks but no thanks" she said snottily. The Slytherins said nothing but their irritation was evident on their faces. Harry too frowned, for a different reason while Ron looked conflicted.

"I was referring to spells that I have learnt from my _auror_ father." Tracey pointed out, trying as hard as she could to be diplomatic. Even Tracey was surprised with herself, she usually didn't get riled up so quickly by anyone, Gryffindor or otherwise. Hermione frowned as Daphne spoke up.

"Am I right in assuming that none of you have received proper duelling training?" she asked in an airy tone. Harry nodded as she elaborated "Well then, I can be of assistance there. My father has trained me in the art of duelling, I believe I can at least guide you," she offered. Harry looked contemplative while Hermione questioned the blonde. "And so what would that be?

Daphne smirked as she put on an air of authority and began to speak "Duelling is not just simply casting a myriad of spells against an opponent, hoping to beat them with brute force. It is an art, a mixture of tactics, skill, power and endurance that tests one's mettle against another," she said somewhat dramatically. Harry and Ron looked impressed as Hermione tried to keep her frown on her face. On the other side of the room, Tracey held back a snicker as she listened to her best friend rehash a line that the Greengrass lord had once told them. Daphne looked pleased with her results. "If anything, _Granger_ , your presence is least valuable."

Hermione looked mortified as she tried to stammer out a rebuttal. Harry however spoke up. "Actually, Hermione can probably get information on dragons easiest, she is really good with her books" he said thoughtfully. Hermione jumped up slightly, looking elated as he continued "Besides, if I really am going to fight a dragon, I need all everyone's help, no matter who they are." As he finished talking, he gave a wry smile to the four standing in front of him. Ron returned the grin and Tracey did the same. Daphne and Hermione looked at each other momentarily, sharing an intense look with each other before Daphne sighed and nodded. After a few moments of frowning, Hermione did the same, a hurt look barely kept from her face.

"Alright," said Harry "Now, where do we start?"

* * *

 _Date: Saturday, November 19_ _th_ _1994_

 _Location: Classroom 1D_

"… and that is why the Hungarian Horntail is considered the most dangerous of fire-breathing dragons" lectured Hermione, who finished by closing the book that she had held open while she drew on the blackboard. In front of her, Ron was half asleep, his body lounging on the table behind his. Harry looked like he was also about to nod off, though he hid it slightly better. On the back row, Tracey and Daphne sat impassively as they watched the 'lecture' go on.

"Really, guys! Harry might have to fight one of these on Thursday, we need to get prepared!" Hermione cried, slightly irritated at her friend's apparent boredom with what she was doing. The two Gryffindor boys grumbled slightly but nodded to agree. At this, Tracey walked up to the front of the room.

"Alright, time for spell practise" she said with her usual amount of cheer. Ron immediately perked up and gave a slight whoop of joy. Hermione flushed as Harry glanced apologetically at his friend. It had been a hectic week for all of them. Harry had spent almost every waking moment trying to gear himself up for his upcoming challenge while Hermione, Daphne and Tracey all worked to help him. Even Ron was able to pitch in with the knowledge part by sending an innocuous letter to his brother Charlie asking about the different types of dragons that resided in the Ridgebit Dragon Sanctuary. Hermione quickly process the information and came up with a lesson plan for each of the individual species that Harry would be likely to encounter.

Tracey had been busy too, training the Gryffindors on the **Conjunctivitis Curse** , the **Flame-Freezing Charm** , an upgraded version of the **Protego** charm. And now, they were at work trying to cram in one more useful charm into their spell libraries.

"Alright, your tunnelling charms are up to snuff" said Tracey after an hour's work. Hermione was still panting from the effort she exerted but the hole she made was about as large as the ones that Ron and Harry had made. "Next, we will move onto a spell that my father taught me. It is called the Pulse Curse and incanted **Dodonpa** and–" Tracey said before she was interrupted by Hermione raising her hand.

"That isn't Latin" Hermione said, causing Tracey to put on a questioning face.

"And?"

"Aren't all spells' incantations Latin words?" Hermione asked. It was a pattern she had noticed from all her readings from the Hogwarts libraries. This pattern was exceedingly useful to her, as it allowed her to figure out what some spells were without knowing anything about it apart from the incantation.

Tracey smiled a little "Let me ask you something, Hermione," she said in a demure tone "What language would Chinese or Brazilian wizards speak in?" Hermione quickly answered "Chinese and Portuguese, respectively"

Tracey nodded and continued "Okay, so if words can have different languages, why can't spells be said in different languages as well?" she asked. Hermione's face dawned in realization as Tracey added "Think about it, ancient civilizations separately developed languages of their own and similar spells along with them. Even with how diverse magic is, there is bound to be some overlap." She explained. Harry began to understand and his face showed his marvel at what Tracey was saying.

"That's…" Hermione stammered "Amazing." Her awe could barely be put into words. It was really a simple yet elegant solution to a question that Hermione had been pondering for a while. After all, how did foreign wizards cast _Latin_ spells when their language had absolutely no connection to the ancient language?

Tracey waited a few more moments before she continued. "Of course, there aren't always perfect matches, for instance the Chinese version of the Stunning Spell is _**Tingzhi**_ which roughly translates to 'stop' rather than 'stun'. As a result, the Chinese variant is also useful on non-living things but less useful on actually knocking people out."

"Isn't that the Braking Charm then?" Hermione asked, causing Tracey to shake her head. "The Chinese _**Tingzhi**_ spell is more of a fusion of both spells rather than each one in particular." Satisfied, Hermione let Tracey continue with her explanations of the Pulse Curse.

Harry felt that Tracey was really beginning to grow on him. The Slytherin's uncharacteristically cheerful disposition and surprisingly large spell library (and generosity) really made a great impression on the Gryffindor. Even Ron seemed to like her, no longer holding any sort of irritated or remotely suspicious look when around the brunette, a fact that really surprised Harry when he began to notice it.

Even Hermione seemed to be less hostile against Tracey, especially after the lesson on the Pulse Charm. Though she remained guarded against Tracey, Hermione seemed to remain neutral when it came to the Slytherin brunette. On the other hand, her relationship with the Greengrass heir left much to be desired. Harry could feel the tension that formed when the two were in close proximity with one another, a fact that bit at him. Unfortunately, he didn't know what to do to fix the problem, seeing as both girls brushed off his questions when asked.

He quickly looked over to Daphne. The girl was sitting in a neutral stance, eyeing the 'lesson' with scrutiny. Harry sent a smile in her direction, an action that caused Daphne to give him a curious look before returning the smile. As strange as Harry found Daphne's mannerisms to be at times, he couldn't help but like the girl who kept coming to the sessions despite their separate 'lessons' having been completed.

Soon, the sun dipped below the horizon and Tracey stopped the lesson. "That's enough for now, we should probably get going to dinner soon" she said, wiping a few beads of sweat from her brow as she vanished the remains of some conjured stone blocks. Ron grinned and did a few stretches as he stood up from the floor. Harry and Hermione breathed a sigh of content as they too stretched a bit. From the other side of the room, Daphne closed the book she was reading and began shuffling her belongings back into her bag.

"Well, see you guys soon!" Tracey said as she walked out of the room. Ron grinned at the retreating girl as he turned back to his friends. "We should get going soon too, Harry needs to meet with Padf–" he started before Harry quickly clamped his hand over his friend's mouth. Ron struggled in protest before Hermione shot him a look, causing the redhead's eyes to widened in panic. Daphne raised an eyebrow at the Gryffindor's antics as Ron quickly scampered out. Harry frowned worriedly as he got his things packed and also walked out of the room but quickly stopped before he turned the corner as he heard Hermione's voice.

"What are you still doing here, Greengrass?" Hermione all but demanded, her impatience conveyed well despite the wall muffling it. A pause occurred as Harry quickly rummaged through his belongings to find his silvery invisibility cloak. Quickly slipping it on, Harry crept up at the door and tried to listen in without making a sound.

"Am I not allowed to work in this room?" Daphne asked in a neutral tone. Another brief pause ensued before Hermione spoke again.

"You know what I mean, why are you here instead of going to Hogsmeade today?" asked Hermione. "There wasn't any reason for you being here, since Harry finishing your 'training'" Hermione said impatiently. Harry held back a chuckle at a memory of a slightly annoyed Daphne who was teaching Harry about evasion tactics before he pointed out that his Quidditch training provided him with ample practise.

"So? I didn't want to go to Hogsmeade. There wasn't anyone I wanted to go with." Daphne quickly retorted. Hermione seemed to laugh as she replied. "Yeah right, I remember Stephen Cornfoot asking you on Monday to go with him when you coldly shot him down." Harry's gaze narrowed as he scrambled slightly closer to the door, trying his hardest to listen better. He peeked one eye into the room, noticing that both girls were now standing.

"Oh please," Daphne said snorting slightly "I would prefer the company of even you over that arrogant snot" she said haughtily. Harry let out a breath he didn't know he was holding as he strained his ears.

"That doesn't mean you had to be here, Greengrass." Hermione replied "You could have gone to the library, or your own common room. Why here?" Hermione's voice had risen again as she all but demanded the blonde's answer.

Daphne seemed to shift uncomfortably for a brief moment before she answered Hermione "I needed to be here to make sure you didn't hurt Tracey" Daphne said with a fierceness that matched Hermione's own. Another pause occurred as the two girls stared at each other. From the doorway, Harry frowned in confusion but didn't make a sound.

"You're hiding something," Hermione said after a while "and I am determined to find out what you are planning." With these words, the Gryffindor girl quickly turned and strode out of the room, almost hitting Harry by accident as he scrambled out of her way. Daphne went back to getting her belongings and left without another word. Still sitting on the floor with his invisibility cloak on, Harry looked confused. _"Well that didn't answer anything…"_

* * *

Later that night, Harry surreptitiously crept down to the deserted common room. Tonight was the night that his godfather, Sirius Black, had said that he would be able to talk to Harry. A batch of excitement and joy filled Harry as he walked down the stairs. He had longed for almost half a year to speak to the man and while he understood (and agreed) that Sirius's presence anywhere close to him was very dangerous, Harry nonetheless felt lonely and wished for the companionship of his late father's best friend.

When he got down, the roaring red flames of the fire had formed the shape of Sirius's head. With a quick motion, Harry threw himself onto a nearby armchair as he took off the invisibility cloak. In front of him, Sirius's formerly bored expression jumped into one of elation before it dropped back down into a grim smile. "Hey, pup"

"Sirius! How are you doing?" asked Harry excitedly. The older man couldn't help but crack a smile at his godson's joy but regained his grimness as he replied "Never mind me, how are you?" The two began a short conversation where Harry explained to his godfather about his recent escapades, causing Sirius to at different points laugh, grimace, look incredulous and groan.

"… and so I have to fight a dragon in five days. I dunno about my chances but I'd definitely be a goner if Hermione and Daphne didn't figure out what the first task was" he finished, looking at his godfather. Sirius quickly digested the information as he quickly replied. "It's good that you've figured out how to deal with the dragons but there are more important things for you to worry about" he said quietly.

Harry looked curiously as Sirius explained who Igor Karkaroff truly was, a less notorious Death Eater who had once been in Azkaban alongside Sirius. Apparently, he betrayed his fellow Death Eaters in order to get leniency.

"… I'd bet everything that it's why Dumbledore wanted an ex-auror at Hogwarts this year. Moody was the one caught Karkaroff in the first place" Sirius explained. Harry frowned slightly at the mention of the old teacher's name. It had taken him a while to notice but every time DADA class came, Tracey and Daphne seemed more 'on-edge' that usual. When the ex-auror's name came up in conversation, the two would often adopt more conservative looks on their face.

"Harry?" asked Sirius who had noticed that his godson was not listening.

"Sorry Sirius," Harry apologised "What were you saying?"

Sirius frowned slightly. "Never mind that, what is on your mind? I was just talking that Ministry witch who went missing a while ago" he said dismissively. Harry nodded as he replied "It's just… well every time we have DADA, Tracey and Daphne seem a little off" he admitted. Sirius frowned.

"Tracey who? And Daphne who?" he asked. The older man was quite surprised when Harry told him about befriending two Slytherin girls over the past few months. Sirius had long since grown past his old grudge against the house of the snakes (barring a few select individuals), so he didn't really mind Harry's friendship with the two. Of course, it didn't stop him from giving Harry some 'fatherly' advice to be careful around them.

"Tracey Davis and Daphne Greengrass" Harry narrated, causing Sirius to look contemplative.

"Hmm… I don't recall many wizards who even have the surname Davis" he said ponderingly "As for the Greengrasses, most of their branches lean on the neutral side, a small amount of unimportant Death Eaters but none with children … wait." Sirius started for a moment.

"What?" Harry asked as Sirius chuckled slightly.

"Tracey Davis right? Daughter of Harrison Davis and Kristen Marchbanks?" Sirius asked. Harry shrugged, he never asked the brunette about her parentage, there wasn't any time for it. Sirius continued. "That means that 'Daphne' is the daughter of Cyril Greengrass and Genevieve Lancaster!" another rancorous chuckle escaped Sirius as he deduced who Harry's new friends are.

"I'm surprised, Harry!" he said jovially "Davis and his little group kind of hated the Marauders when we were at school. Wonder if old Davis knows…" he said chuckling. Harry smiled as he remembered.

"Actually, I've met him already. It was after the Quidditch world cup, when Ron, Hermione and I saved Tracey from a couple of Death Eaters. He was–" Harry replied before he was cut off by Sirius.

"You what?!" Sirius exclaimed, a look of full concern etched on his face, beckoning Harry to tell him the full story. With a gulp, that night's events were spilled out to Sirius, causing him to frown but give a small smile at the end.

"That was very reckless, Harry," he said seriously "but good job on successfully stalling three Death Eaters before back-up could arrive." Harry chuckled awkwardly at the reprimand but smiled at the praise. He was about to speak when Sirius suddenly froze.

"Harry, I've got to go, the wizarding family I borrowed the fire of is about to come back" he said urgently. Harry wordlessly waved him goodbye as the ex-inmate of Azkaban vanished from the fire, leaving no trace of his presence.

* * *

 _Date: Thursday, November 22_ _nd_ _1994_

 _Location: Great Hall_

Today was the day of reckoning. Or so as Harry thought as he walked down the steps of the Great Hall. He had been called by Professor McGonagall to go down to the grounds along with her and was currently trudging down in silence. In another life, he would be panicking right now, feeling detached and lonely as he walked to what could possibly be his doom. This time however, he was far more composed. Hermione and Ron had wished him good luck, the former anxiously while the latter in a worried but calmer tone.

As he walked down to a newly raised tent, his eyes glanced over the people who had already arrived at the stadium. Most people wished the young champion good luck though a few badge wearing Slytherins sneered at him, hissing "We've got tissues ready, Potter" as he passed, much to the disapproval of Professor McGonagall. Harry ignored the snakes as he walked towards the tent and entered it as thoughts of the past two weeks flooded his nervous mind. He couldn't help but smile as he walked down the stony steps with Professor McGonagall, feeling far more prepared than if he had been practising alone.

"Harry, Good-o" Ludo Bagman said, an expression of joy plastered over his face as he greeted Harry, who had just entered the tent. Harry frowned but nodded in return. The youngest champion looked around the tent and had noticed that the other competitors had arrived. Krum barely even acknowledged his presence, only passing him a look as he entered. Fleur was of a similar mind-set, gazing critically at the 'leetle boy' before turning away with a haughty expression.

From behind them, Cedric walked to Harry and clapped the younger boy on his back. "Harry, good to see you!" he said with a happy smile. Harry returned the gesture as Cedric leaned down slightly and whispered in his ear. "You could have given me a better clue about what we were up against but thanks regardless" Harry gave the older boy a wry smile as Cedric walked off.

Last week, Harry had a long debate with Daphne on whether or not he should inform Cedric about the task ahead after Tracey had pointed out that the other champions were likely to be told by their head teachers about the task. Harry argued that it was the right thing to do while Daphne reprimanded him for his lack of tact. In the end, the matter was resolved when Hermione approached the older boy with a hint that Tracey had said off-hand (What should you never tickle?), much to Harry's approval and Daphne's chagrin.

"Well, now we're all here - time to fill you in!" said Bagman brightly. Despite his nervousness, Harry almost smirked as the man began 'explaining' what their objective was. It wasn't like anyone here didn't have at least five days of time to get prepared. Soon, the crowd's cacophony hit an apex and Bagman produced a purple velvet sack.

"Ladies first" he said as he offered the sack to Fleur, who quickly drew out a miniature replica of the Swedish Short-Snout. Krum lumbered forward and picked out a ferocious Hungarian Horntail model, causing Harry to breathe a sigh of relief. Bagman then offered the pouch to him, where he dipped his hand inside, praying that he wouldn't get bitten by a model (that would be horribly embarrassing). As he brandished his hand, his lips pursed as he took note of the scarlet plated dragon in his hand – a Chinese Fireball. The boy grimaced. _"Let's hope my_ _ **Ignis Glacio**_ _is good enough"_ he thought nervously.

* * *

 _Spells used/mentioned:_

 _Rosea Oculus – Conjunctivitis Curse_

 _Ignis Glacio Maxima – Flame-Freezing Charm_

 _Protego – Shield Charm_

 _Dodonpa – Pulse Curse_

 _Stupefy – Stunning Spell_

 _Arresto Momentum – Braking Charm_

 _Tingzhi – (Chinese) Stopping Charm_

 _A/N: A slight change from canon, how will it affect the actual match?_

 _ **Next Time: Flames of a Torch**_


	11. Chapter 11 - Flames of a Torch

_A/N: You may have noticed that I took off the 'as few external plot devices' part of the first A/N, this is because I feel that how the story may seem to involve external plot devices. Not to worry, James Potter (whichever one) will not randomly time travel to the present, or any other shenanigans like that. Ultimately, my goal for the story was to write something that could be seen as a 'what-if' from canon and thus nothing will change from canon without an explicit reason (RNG is considered a reason). Anyways, hope you all enjoy this next section (and sorry for the long A/N)_

" _Text"_ – Thoughts

" **Text"** – Spellcast

 _Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, JK Rowling does_

* * *

 _ **Chapter 11 – Flames of a Torch**_

 _Date: Thursday November 22_ _nd_ _, 1994_

 _Location: Challenger's Path (Route to the Arena)_

Harry walked out towards the arena that he would soon meet his greatest challenge to date. About twenty minutes ago, Krum had walked stiffly out onto the same pathway he was currently on, his fear barely masked by the brave front he held. Now it was Harry's turn and he was no less nervous.

" _At least I don't need to face the Horntail,"_ he thought. _"It would have probably made a great show, me running away from one of the fiercest dragon species in existence."_ His quick attempt at humour to bolster his confidence (courtesy of Tracey) barely helped as he walked slowly into the arena. The many hundreds of faces turned and stared right at him, like a many-faced god, judging his every move and action. On the other side of the pit, the colossal scarlet reptile stared down at Harry, protecting a cache of eggs that lay near her feet. He glanced into the deep yellow orbs that were the dragon's eyes, ignoring the rancorous crowd who alternately booed and cheered at him. All his focus was placed on his first move. His wand was long since unsheathed, his posture neutral but ready to move at a moment's notice. The two combatants locked their eyes and the battled commenced.

Immediately, with a deafening howl, the dragon spewed a conflagration that gave its species their moniker. Having learnt to predict this fast paced yet powerful assault. Harry spent no time trying to erect a barrier and instead opted to use the tunnelling charm on the ground below him, successfully dodging the attack by falling just below the surface.

Bagman was commentating with his **Sonorous** enhanced voice but Harry paid it no mind. If his concentration wavered for even a moment, he could be incinerated in an instant. The boy quickly practised a simply meditative breathing technique taught to him by Daphne, allowing him to keep his composure despite his immense dread at his dire situation.

" _Alright, think, what do I remember about this dragon?"_ he asked himself. Inwardly, he was berating himself for not paying as much attention as he could when Hermione was explaining all the intricacies of each dragon that could be found at the Ridgebit Dragon Reserve but he nonetheless tried to think up a plan. Unfortunately, the dragon had just sensed him below the ground again and had drawn a breath to fire a torrent of flames at the young boy. Gulping at his misfortune, Harry used the only spell he could think of to get himself out of his mess.

" **Depulso!"** he yelled with all his might towards the floor. Immediately, he shot upward, like a bullet of a barrel and found himself ten feet into the air. The hole he had just dug was now enveloped in a sea of red, yellow and orange flames. Harry was tempted to use the ' **Aquamenti'** ' charm to get rid of the flames but was reminded of something Hermione told him.

" _Dragon's flames are only second to Fiendfyre, Harry, normal water won't work on it"_ she chided in his head, causing the boy to frown at his misfortune. He then felt a pull downwards and remembered a simple thing he had currently overlooked.

He was still mid-air.

Falling quickly, Harry gulped as he watched in horror as the burning ground came closer and closer. Thinking fast, Harry shouted **"Carpe Retractum"** as he aimed his wand at a protrusion on the dragon's back. Immediately, an ethereal golden rope erupted from the end of the wand, shooting towards and fastening itself on the spike. Harry felt himself launched quickly onto the back of the dragon, landing unceremoniously on the hard plated spine of the Fireball.

The dragon immediately thrashed around in a frenzy, trying to swipe at Harry as she caused miniature seismic events on the ground and almost knocking Harry off the gargantuan reptile. He inwardly thanked his lucky stars (and Hermione's advice) that he had ate a light breakfast, or he would have lost it all during this particularly nauseous portion of the fight. Seeing as her efforts were futile, the Fireball decided to take flight, spreading its magnificent red wings and lifting itself with a strong gust from her wings.

Though thoroughly dizzy, Harry tried to look for the golden egg amongst the battlefield of flames. However, his momentary distraction was what the dragon needed to throw Harry off her back, sending the young wizard flying into a thankfully untouched part of the battlefield. Harry heard a painful crack from somewhere on his body as he collided with the ground the crowd around him groaning alongside him. Despite feeling incredibly tired and wracked with pain, he gave an almighty effort and staggered to his feet.

He looked up at the terrifying beast looming over him. A glance to his right told him that he had landed about thirty meters from the eggs, separated by a thin line of charred ground that had been extinguished when the dragon had taken flight. Despite his broken state, Harry was determined to finish his challenge. With adrenaline coursing through his body, he quickly flicked his wand in the shape of two eyes.

" **Rosea Oculus"** he bellowed, aiming at the glowing yellow eyes of the dragon. With a flash of pink light, the dragon was struck with the Conjunctivitis Curse causing it to fly erratically above the stadium. The crowd shrieked in horror as the airborne dragon opened its mouth. The air around it's gaping maw appeared to distort as it got sucked into the hellish confines of the dragon's stomach.

" _Oh hell!"_ Harry mentally cursed, beginning to panic. If a 'standard' fireball could torch almost half the arena, he did not want to see what a fully powered one would do. Trembling from both fear and pain, Harry aimed his wand at the mouth of the beast. Around him, the cacophony generated by the crowd seemed to increase fivefold but Harry didn't hear it. Putting almost all of his remaining energy into this last spell, he fired.

" **DODONPA!"** Harry bellowed. An instant later, a yellowish white bolt of energy shot from the wand, streaking towards the dragon's head with a loud bang. The dragon saw the bolt coming but could barely react before the fulminating projectile crashed into its jaw, knocking the giant behemoth upwards slightly. With a haunting howl, the dragon teetered backward slightly as it attempted to expel the immense blaze that it had stored in its mouth. The crowd gasped as one as Harry looked up at what might be his doom, staring deep into the citrine eyes of the beast. In that instant, the dragon exhaled.

A torrent of flames spread from the damaged dragon's mouth in to the sky, raining down like a flurry of meteors onto the arena. Harry's eyes widened as he faced his predicament. _"Oh bollocks"_ he thought as he watched the flames get closer. He felt time slow as his life flash before his eyes, memories of a haunting night and a turbulent childhood flashed before his eyes. _"So much for the boy-who-lived"_ he humourlessly thought. He was resigned to his fate.

" _I'm sorry, everyone, I failed"_ he thought sadly. In his mind, he could see Ron and Hermione screaming their lungs out at him, powerless to help. Tracey too, he supposed. Yeah, his other friends, as few as they were would probably shed a few tears at his demise. The flames were coming even closer, he could already feel the temperature rising and his thoughts turned to the last person. _"Daphne probably won't though_ " he thought. As grim as his situation was, Harry chuckled. The Greengrass heir would probably yell at his tombstone (or whatever the magical equivalent was) for shaming her by him not trying his hardest. Grimacing slightly, Harry looked up at the falling fire. _"Might as well…"_ he surmised, as he raised his wand at the sky.

* * *

In the crowd, Daphne was on the edge of her seat. The first bout between the veela and the Swedish Short-snout was actually quite entertaining as Daphne gleefully watched the beauty having to prance around the angry beast as she tried and failed to enchant the dragon to sleep. Luckily for Fleur however, her repeated attempts began to have an effect and the dragon fell asleep snoring. However, the Frenchwoman's dress was in tatters after the battle, causing her to moan in displeasure. _"Serves her right"_ Daphne thought _"She should have worn something more proper for a battle_. _"_

Krum seemed far more well equipped to take on the Welsh Green as he strode up to the arena. His strategy was also far more successful, using the Conjunctivitis Curse as soon as he entered the arena. However, the dragon appeared to have some resistance to the spell, forcing Krum to change tactics by using Transfiguration on a few boulders to create a distraction as he went and snatched the egg. Despite the good showing of magic, the dragon had almost decimated the arena in its frenzy, causing the Quidditch Star to lose some points.

However, when Harry walked up onto the arena, looking less afraid than Fleur but far less composed than Krum, a sinking feeling found its way into Daphne's stomach. As the battle commenced, Daphne found herself uncharacteristically on the edge of her seat as she watched each (sloppy) dodge, spell or manoeuvre. Next to her, Tracey was equally silent, watching with a mixture of horror and fascination as the battle unfolded. Around them however, the Slytherin crowd were as boisterous as usual, with many cheering as the dragon attacked while booing when the wizard dodged. Some even made (and lost) bets during the fight as the snakes gambled on how long it would take for Harry to perish against his scaled foe.

"And there goes another one!" exclaimed Bagman as the Fireball shot off another volley of fireballs, scorching the land that it touched. Daphne sent the commentator an ice cold glare as she continued to watch the fight. When Harry shot up into the air, the blonde didn't know if she should palm her face, or laugh. _"Damn Potter"_ she cursed, not for the first time. If she was to be honest with herself, Daphne was actually quite impressed with Harry so far. His usage of different spells was actually quite ingenious (not that she would admit it) and his ability to get out of tight situations was quite admirable.

The blonde's attention was brought back to the battle as the dragon began taking flight. She quickly scanned the area for signs of the Gryffindor but found no signs of him on the ground. A cool feeling filled her unexpectedly as she began to look around as quickly as possible.

"Bloody Hell!" someone cursed from behind Daphne. Looking upwards, she saw Harry, barely hanging onto the mighty beast's back using enchanted golden rope. Her gaze widened at the unexpected occurrence and she felt herself feeling frightened. _"For what?_ she thought as she watched Harry fall from the dragon's back. His body slammed into the ground, causing Daphne's heart to lurch along with it. Thankfully, Harry got back up, causing Daphne to let out a breath she didn't know she was keeping until she heard someone across the arena scream.

"And the Dragon prepares a final assault! Will our youngest champion survive?" Bagman said, a worried tone creeping into his voice. However, no-one noticed as everyone's attention was on the fire-breathing behemoth's next attack. Daphne saw as Harry aimed his wand shakily at the dragon and cast what she recognized as the Pulse Charm. Though he missed (she thought) Daphne was still pleased that Harry had used the spell effectively to try and counter the dragon's fire. However, her happiness turned to horror as the Fireball executed his attack into the sky anyway.

The crowd screamed as the rain of fire descended on the arena, scorching many parts of the charred land. Daphne's eyes widened massively. She tried to yell, to scream but no words came out of her mouth for her throat was too dry to say a word. As the dragon-fire fell at Harry, Daphne could only watch in dread.

"Harry!"

* * *

From across the stadium, Hermione had her hand firmly grasped upon Ron's arm, her nails painfully cutting into his arm's flesh. However, neither of them noticed as they were watching their best friend get swallowed by a torrent of fire that was being spewed from the dragon's mouth. Hermione screamed, as did a number of other girls in the Gryffindor contingent as they watched their 'hero's' seeming demise.

If she was calmer, Hermione would probably have realized that Harry was doing far better than she or Ron probably would have in his position, and far better than the rest of their year group in general. However, all rational thought was sucked out of her head as she watched the falling flames engulf the boy-who-lived.

"HARRY!" she screamed in horror.

* * *

A few meters away, Ginny Weasley was sat on the edge of her seat. Her heart seemed to jump out of her chest every second as Harry seemed to barely survive a swipe or fireball from the massive reptile. Although she had faith that Harry would be fine, it really troubled her to think how dangerous his life had to be if he was able to get through this ordeal without much injury. She had heard many stories from Ron about their adventures over the past three years and while she had once thought them to be tales of bravery and valour, the young girl now saw them as stories of danger.

" _I hope you aren't get too hurt"_ she thought as Harry landed onhis arm with a painful crack. She winced as she got a closer look at his current dishevelled state as she heard someone scream from behind her. Looking upwards, her jaw dropped as she saw the Chinese Fireball in its full glory, about to bare down it's flames on everyone. A white bolt then struck the monster but it's flames still rained down on the arena and Harry,

Ginny could only watch despairingly as the flames of the beast seem to devour the man she had once thought she loved.

"HARRY!" she screamed in fright.

* * *

Inside the judge's panel, Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore stroked his long beard in contemplation as he watched the face-off between his secret weapon and the foreign dragon. While he had initially debated on trying to find a way for Harry to be exempted from the competition, he had ultimately allowed it to occur after being persuaded by Ludo Bagman. " _After all, the tournament can be used to assess his abilities."_ He reasoned. Dumbledore felt the need to always keep track of Harry's progress, so as to make sure he would be ready whenever Tom would return from his spectral form.

As the old man watched the fight, he nodded in was impressed by Harry's ingenuity and reflexes which helped to save him from multiple situations. He even had to hold back a laugh when he watched the boy use a second year charm to do what many had tried but failed to do – successfully get on the back of a dragon. The gaping looks on Madame Maxime and Professor Karkaroff's faces just made the situation funnier.

However, as the battle progressed, Dumbledore began to frown as he noticed that Harry was beginning to cast charms he had never shown ability to cast before. The old man had surmised that Harry had somehow gotten enough control over the **Spongify** charm to have dug a hole at the beginning of the battle but his current usage of the Pulse Curse suggested otherwise. The great beast then began to fire off a large amount of fire into the sky, a manoeuvre that Dumbledore noted to be like a 'dragon's meteor shower' as it rained down on Harry. Slightly worried but ultimately calm, the old wizard watched to see what Harry would do to get out of the predicament.

On another side of the stadium, Bartemius Crouch Jr., disguised as Mad-Eye Moody, was currently fidgeting uncontrollably. This was a by-product of his short tenure in Azkaban, the extended period of time he was trapped under the **Imperio** curse and his current dilemma. His plan was about to fail.

A few months ago, after the fiasco after the Quidditch World Cup, Barty was treated to a surprise visit by none other than his exalted master and the vermin that was Peter Pettigrew. After the trio subdued Bartemius Senior, the younger Crouch was told of his master's plan for resurrection. Barty didn't care about the stakes, nor did he care about the risks he had to take to get himself there. All that was important was that his master would return.

And so, Barty surreptitiously got his father to give Mad-Eye Moody a little too much alcohol on the 30th of August, right before school started, using the Imperius curse of course. Barty was always one for the dramatic irony.

Even then, the old ex-auror put up a massive fight when Barty ambushed him, only being dropped by a particularly powerful **Crucio** that Barty had been waiting to use against the man who captured him. And thus, Barty had the monumental task of pretending to be Mad-Eye Moody, whilst carrying out his master's scheme.

It would have been so easy, he thought, to easily kill the Potter brat who dared to defeat his glorious master. Him! The greatest wizard that ever walked the planet was taken down by that snivelling boy! Barty so dearly wanted to bring justice upon Potter but he stayed his hand. After all, the Dark Lord's wishes are his commands and his great leader said to bring the brat to him alive and relatively unharmed.

Luckily for Barty, Mad-Eye was considering borderline insane by a large portion of wizarding Britain, allowing Barty almost free reign over what his actions. Initially, the young man was worried that he would be easily discovered by Dumbledore (Barty knew he was good but not _that_ good), however that fear waned as time went by.

On the other hand, meeting Snape and Karkaroff was very interesting. Barty was given clear orders to stay away from Snape as he too was apparently an undercover spy for the Dark Lord and so, as much as Barty wanted to reveal himself to his old classmate, he once again kept away. Karkaroff was a different story however. The Durmstrang head teacher was constantly watching out for 'Moody' as so jumped every time he saw Barty, a fact that greatly amused him. Even after so many years, Barty never forgot how Karkaroff betrayed their elite organization by telling the Ministry the names of some of their members (most importantly Barty's own). However, his lord's plan took precedence over his personal revenge and so Barty didn't do anything other than intimidate Karkaroff, an action that left him wanting to giggle like a schoolgirl.

Right now though, Barty kept a stone-hard mask as he watched the battle unfold below him in the arena. Tricking the Goblet of Fire was far easier than he imagined, all he had to do was cast a **Confundus/Imperius** couplet at the magical artefact to make it believe that there were four school competing rather than three. Entering Potter was even easier, simply placing a piece of his ripped homework in from his 'Imperius Curse' assignment in completed that phase of the Dark Lord's plan.

However, things began to turn south there as Potter appeared to disappear from Hogwarts when he wasn't in class. Despite Barty's predictions that the _entire_ school would shun Potter, causing him to panic and thus drive the boy to him, Potter had apparently found help. _"Insufferable, ambitionless Gryffindors!_ " he thought. In addition, Barty found that he had misjudged the youngest Weasley brat. He thought that the redheaded boy would have abandoned Potter due to his insecurities (something that was clear as day to anyone who looked) but instead stuck by the Potter. Initially, Barty was unconcerned, as Weasley had barely any magical capability. Potter's only other option for aid was the Granger mudblood, who, as a mudblood, would be useless. So Barty paid it no attention.

However, as the day of the tournament drew closer, Barty grew more and more concerned. He had made several attempts to contact the Potter brat but after a number of initial successes, Potter had stopped responding to his offers to talk. Strangely, it seemed that it was the Greengrass heir and the Davis girl who was blocking his advance, but that couldn't be it, could it? After all, despite its' current political leanings, the Greengrasses were a respectable, old pure-blood family. How could the heir to its main branch be trying to _help_ the one who vanquished the glorious crusader that was the Dark Lord.

" _Bloody Mudbloods"_ he thought, cursing at Harrison Davis. It didn't take him long to figure out that the Davis girl was the spawn of his old classmate, the mudblood Davis. The filth had desecrated the honor of Slytherin house by somehow seducing two of their pure-blooded maidens, a fact that aggravated Barty (there was no other reason he could think of that two pure-blooded witches would want to fraternize with filth like him). Now the unholy alliance was polluting the next generation and Barty was determined to make sure to change that.

However, that could wait. Right now, Barty was panicking about the stupid brat currently trying to fight a dragon. _"Stupid brat! If you came to me for help, you wouldn't be doing this badly_ " he mentally hissed. However, his look turned to one of horror when he saw the Chinese Fireball spew flames in all directions from the sky.

" _Bloody Potter! You better get out of this one too_ "

* * *

" _Might as well…"_

Harry took a small breath as some of the fire hit the ground in his peripheral vision. He knew that he had close to no energy left but it didn't hurt to try.

" **PROTEGO AEGIS!"** he screamed. Despite the screaming crowd, the blazing embers that fell from the sky, or the overhead dragon's roar, everyone in the stadium heard Harry's spell cast. For a moment, nothing happened and Harry thought he was dead but suddenly, a large amount of energy erupted from the tip of his wand, expanding and taking the shape of a medieval shield, thus blocking a majority of the flames that would have hit Harry in that instant. For a moment, a the barrier briefly flickered silver before it disappeared.

"AGHH" he screamed as an ember broke through the silver barrier, landing the exposed skin of his left arm. Cringing, Harry cast a weak **Glacius** and **Ignis Glacio** on the affected part of his body. By now, a ring of fire had been erected around the battlefield. On one side, Harry stood weakly, looking as though he was about to keel over. _"Well, at least I somehow blocked those flames"_ he thought as he stared at the great beast which was currently descending. Harry try to ready himself in preparation for the dragon's inevitable next assault. But it never came.

With a weak howl, the Chinese Fireball collapsed onto the ground, exhausted from the fight and the damage that was done to its mouth. The crowd was silent for a moment before it erupted into cheers. Harry smiled weakly and was about to pass out before he remembered something. The challenge wasn't about defeating a dragon…

The young wizard looked across the battlefield, searching for his prize. About thirty meters to his right, the golden egg he was supposed to collect lay, seemingly untouched by the inferno around it. On the other hand, many of the real eggs however had blackened shells, a sign that Harry took to mean that they were damaged. Though thoroughly exhausted and quite disoriented, Harry limped to the egg, cradling his injured arm. Almost a minute passed as Harry navigated through the scorched ground to collect his prize. With his one healthy arm, Harry held the golden egg up like a trophy, causing the crowd around him to break out in cheers.

"And he's got it!" Bagman shouted excitedly. The commentator continued to speak but Harry couldn't hear what was being said. He vaguely recalled Hermione and Ron running towards him as he fell but he could hear what they were saying either. Harry felt himself fall backwards, giving an unceremonious grunt as he fainted into Ron's arms.

* * *

 _Date: Friday, November 23_ _rd_ _1994_

 _Location: Hospital Wing_

Darkness was all Harry could see as he opened his eyes. "Ughh" he groaned as he tried to sit up, but found that he was magically bound to the unfamiliar bed he was currently lying on. Nevertheless, the boy persevered until his aches caught up to him, causing Harry to moan out in pain. A sudden pain erupted in his left arm as a burning sensation overtook his senses, causing his him to wince in , his struggles were short as the Hogwarts matron came bustling out at the sound of her patients awakening.

"Stay still, Potter!" called Madam Pomfrey, who walked out blearily from her office carrying a lit wand. Harry stopped struggling. "Where am I?" he asked, to which the matron replied with a huff.

"We are at the Hospital Wing and it's three a.m." she replied curtly. The dimly lit wand did nothing to hide Madam Pomfrey's irritated concern for the boy. Harry gave her an uneasy chuckle. "Did my friends visit?" he asked weakly. Madame Pomfrey huffed loudly as she began to examine her patient as she spoke.

"As usual, Mr Weasley and Miss Granger spent most of their time trying to get into here," started Pomfrey with a harrumph. Harry looked apologetically at the old woman who had to take care of him after all his previous adventures. Every time something went wrong, whether in Quidditch, a spell mishap or his 'extra-curricular' activities, Madame Pomfrey had come to patch him back up, giving Harry (and whoever was with him) a stern lecture. Because of this, Harry felt a deep respect for the matron, who would help him and his friends regardless of what happened.

"… the stranger thing was that Miss Greengrass and Miss Davis also came to see you." Pomfrey continued as she wordlessly cast multiple sensory spells on Harry "Naturally, they were more respectful of my rules though they seemed quite worried, odd." She mused. Harry smiled at the old woman's words as she turned to face him.

"Another thing," she said sternly. Harry gulped. "If you _ever_ get the idea to involve Miss Greengrass or Miss Davis in your shenanigans, you better make sure they don't come back injured. Three of you Gryffindors are difficult enough to deal with." Harry replied with a nod and a nervous chuckle, which the old matron seemed to accept. A few silent moments passed as the matron continued her meticulous examination of Harry's body.

"How bad are my injuries?" asked Harry. It was quite difficult for him to tell, owing to the expertly casted numbing charms from Madam Pomfrey as well as the multitude of potions that were likely to be circulating his body at the moment. The matron didn't reply quickly though as she continued her close examination.

A few minutes passed until the examination was over. Madam Pomfrey vanished the "Overall, your biggest damage is from your extreme magic-power deficiency," she started "I've got you on three different potions to fix that." Harry nodded but didn't question further but Pomfrey continued. "Your biggest physical injury came from the dragon-fire you got hit by. Usually the damage would be far greater but I was told you somehow managed to block the crux of the damage, not to mention damaging the dragon's mouth caused the flames to decrease in intensity." Harry gave her a toothy smile at this comment but she ignored it. "Nevertheless, dragon-fire is known for its lasting damage but we are working through that." The matron paused as Harry took in the information. "Other than that, you have a few broken bones and bruises" Despite his tired state, Harry found it in himself to be surprised.

"Get some more rest, Mr Potter," Madam Pomfrey said as she stood up. Her concern was evident on her face as she gazed down on Harry. "I will do another examination in the morning to see if you can attend class. Until then, drink the Dreamless Sleep Potion I have on the desk next to you." With these parting words, the matron left, leaving Harry alone in the darkness. Shrugging, then wincing from the pain, Harry drank the potion and lay down. The effects of sleep claimed him almost instantly as he drifted into dreamless unconsciousness peacefully.

* * *

 _Location: Forbidden Forest_

Deep in the forbidden forest, loud rumblings could be heard. If one were to come closer, they would likely hear a series of roars, grunts and stomps which would be indecipherable to most. However, there were relatively few humans nearby as the moon still shined bright. Azulong didn't understand why the humans needed so much rest all the time but honestly she couldn't find it in herself to care.

"You should rest, Azu" rumbled a nearby dragon. Rearing her smooth-scaled scarlet head, the Chinese Fireball took a few steps to position her body to face the speaker. In the darkness behind her, she could scarcely make out a cage which housed a large green colored dragon with two large protruding horns.

"What do you want, Avalon" the Lion Dragon asked wearily. Despite having lived in the Ridgebit Dragon Reserve for almost her entire life, the red colored dragon was never fond of speaking in the 'Common Draconic Tongue', as her speech was affected by an accent. Thus, Azulong preferred talking to other native Chinese dragons in the reserve and distanced herself from the other dragons. Avalon's insistence in mingling with her annoyed Azulong, more than she would admit but less than what she thought.

"You took a strong spell to your jaw, Azu," reminded the Welsh Green. Azulong snorted, an orange jet of fire bursting out of her nostril towards a nearby tree before it was stopped by the magical barrier erected around the dragons. She hissed at the Welsh Dragon as she shot her a glare. The fight with the short wizard had been fairly annoying (and utterly humiliating) for the red dragon. Life at the reserve was quite mundane, apart the occasional brawl that would break out between rivals, the reserve was almost tranquil.

Azulong was never the particularly pugnacious dragon but she didn't enjoy lazing around all the time like some of the more lackadaisical dragons in the reserve. Originally, when she was picked to go somewhere, Azulong was honestly quite happy, hoping to see new lands to soar above, maybe find a new animal to consume and feast on. Instead, she was thrust into a cage and brought out to fight a runt of a wizard, how deplorable!

"Why is it so noisy?" rumbled a third voice. Thunderous steps sounded behind Azulong as Gainought joined the other two dragons in the awakeness. The Hungarian Horntail looked at the two dragons and hissed, annoyed that he had been awoken.

"I was trying to tell Azu to take some rest" offered Avalon, which caused the Horntail to laugh. The dragon's laugh was an echoing unearthly sound which reverberated across the forest floor. The human guards near the dragons froze as they turned and looked tremblingly at the three dragons who seemed to all be safely in their cages and so the humans returned to their normal, relaxed postures.

After a short while, Gainought ceased his rancour as he spoke. "Why yes, _princess_ ," he drawled "After all, you did get _severely_ _damaged_ by a hatchling wizard! And ridden by the same one as well! What would Lord Shao Lao say?" Azulong hissed at the older dragon with venom as she felt the humiliation grow inside her. "Better me than the dragon who got _outflown_ by a hatchling. And distracted by a _canis lupus_! Lord Faugn would be most displeased" she retorted, causing the large black dragon to huff.

"Please, princess, even Diagoldos would have been distracted by that canine" he said, using his head to gesture at the sleeping Swedish Short-snout, who apparently was finally feeling the full effects of getting hit by so many sleeping compulsions. "Besides, I didn't get outflown, I got _out-manoeuvred_ by the hatchling riding on one their flying sticks. I am far larger than the hatchling." Azulong huffed, an orange jet of fire shooting upwards as she noted that the black dragon had failed to mention the true reason for his weakness. Avalon let out a small hoot of flame from a nostril in mirth, causing the Hungarian Horntail to turn towards the Welsh Green.

"And you, Greeny, got fooled by the hatchling's pathetic attempt at a mythical villain!" Gainought roared, sending a small shockwave into the depleted antichalcum bars of his cage. The green dragon huffed indignantly.

"The ancient one is not mere legend, dear Gainought" rumbled Avalon as he turned to the Horntail. The black dragon scoffed "Yeah, and I am Duke Typhon, Devourer of Fate." Azulong watched the exchange in amusement. Fin Fang Foom. Vritra the Encompassing. Mabinogion. She had heard many stories and legends of a time before the Great War, and had often wondered which were truth and which were just fairy-tale. An annoyed huff brought the scarlet dragon back to reality.

"Ask Diagoldos, or your Lord Faugn, they would remember" Avalon argued. Gainought harrumphed in irritation but didn't reply, instead lying back down to rest while Avalon followed soon. Seeing as the other dragons were sleeping, Azulong decided that she needed some more rest as well. Laying on the cold hard metal, Azulong drifted off to sleep, dreaming about an old man holding a fan made of crane feathers crouching in a poised position.

* * *

 _Spells Used/Mentioned:_

 _Depulso – Banishing Charm_

 _Aquamenti – Water-Making Spell_

 _Carpe Retractum – Seize and Pull Charm_

 _Dodonpa – Pulse Curse_

 _Protego Aegis – Barrier Charm_

 _Imperio – Imperius Curse a.k.a. Dominion Curse_

 _Confundo – Confundus Charm_

 _Glacius – Freezing Spell_

 _Ignis Glacio – Flame-Freezing Charm_

 _A/N: Internet cookie to anyone who can guess (or find) all the references_

 ** _Next Time: Recovery_**


	12. Chapter 12 - Recovery

" _Text"_ – Thoughts

" **Text"** – Spellcast

 _Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, JK Rowling does_

* * *

 _ **Chapter 12 – Recovery**_

 _Date: Saturday, December 3_ _rd_ _1994_

 _Location: Slytherin Common Room_

The exciting November slowly bled into the harsh wintery winds that December brought. The castle began to adjust back to normal, with their foreign guests of course. Some were beginning to feel the effects of the holiday spirit but yet some kept themselves composed as their exuberant companions gushed about the holidays. And so very aptly described Tracey Davis and Daphne Greengrass, respectively, as they did every year.

"Tracey, it's still the beginning of the month, relax already!" Daphne said exasperatedly as Tracey gave her a look.

"Daphne," Tracey whined, drawing out the last syllable, "Some muggles begin their festivities at the end of October. It's never too early to begin!" Daphne scoffed "And that's why my father thinks muggles are barbaric." Tracey shot a dirty look at her friend but didn't reply.

The pair made their way up to the Great Hall for a late breakfast, a now usual event now that the majority of Slytherin seemed to be on the lookout. After the eventful first task, some Slytherins (mostly Malfoy and Parkinson) got suspicious when the boy-who-lived seemed to know far more than he usually displayed. Over the week, the sediment spread all across the house, making Daphne and Tracey somewhat uneasy due to the suspicion cast on them and also forcing them to keep their distance from the Golden Trio. To top it all off, this was accompanied by a letter from Daphne's father, which amounted to a 'Good work on your progress on the job' note. All in all, this cumulated in Daphne's current state of irritation at life in general.

The pair began to eat in silence, soundlessly putting a few strips of bacon on their plates as they mulled over what had been happening over the past week. Suddenly, a large bang occurred outside the Great Hall. Strangely, no-one seemed to react to the loud sound, simply continuing to eat their meal as usual. Of course, this was not a particularly common event … usually. These past few weeks, Gryffindor, most notably the Weasley twins, had been 'celebrating' Harry's successful capture of the golden egg during the first task.

And so, there had been seemingly random explosions at equally random locations around the school. Either Potter and his posse enjoyed the attention or they were unaware. Regardless, Daphne was irritated at the last Potter again.

"What's got you in a fritz?" asked a demure voice from behind the pair. Daphne ignored the greeting but Tracey looked back, revealing the wry smile of one Sophie Roper, who was just walking towards the table.

"Hey Sophie," Tracey said uneasily. Given that they were not close; it was not surprising this was the first time the information broker had spoken to Daphne or Tracey outside of class since the wake of the first task. Naturally, the presence of Sophie therefore put Daphne and Tracey on guard. Sophie smirked but put her hands up.

"Relax, I'm not here on business. I'm just here to talk" she said, trying to give the pair an innocent smile. Neither bought it.

"Regardless of your motive, you would conceal your true motive, _Rat_ " Daphne said, emphasizing Sophie's infamous moniker. Sophie grinned. "Fair enough I guess," she said as she began to turn around. "Later then, Tracey, _Queenie._ " Daphne's expression turned mortified for a moment before she began to glare at Sophie. "We have a deal, Roper."

Sophie's grin morphed into a chuckle "No-one is nearby to hear it. But…" she drawled, eyeing the furious blonde, "I'm a clumsy girl. Perhaps I might accidentally let that little word slip in say, Potion? I wonder how the Gryffindorks would react… especially a certain black haired one?" The hanging threat caused Daphne's anger to grow twofold as she glowered at the grinning information broker. Tracey looked nervously at her murderous friend but knew it was best to not intervene. Terse moments passed, with some people beginning to notice the commotion.

"Fine, _Roper_ , what is the new fee." Daphne said as she reluctantly backed down from the staring contest. Sophie smirked "Add two Sickles per payment, _princess_." Suppressing the desire to glare at her housemate, Daphne grudgingly nodded. Sophie smirked and walked away.

Daphne went back to eating as she tried to mask her seething rage at the black haired witch. Tracey tentatively tapped her friend on the shoulder but was disregarded. Shrugging, Tracey went back to her meal. It could wait. Daphne was notorious for bottling up what she was feeling and Tracey knew it very well, having been the subject or victim of this behaviour at multiple occasions.

Soon the pair finished their meal and Daphne walked off, forcing Tracey to run after her again. The pair made their way to the school library where Daphne swiftly got to a nearby table and sat down. As it was still relatively early, the library was almost empty, only Madam Pince and the two Slytherins were present in the library.

"Why're we here Daph? You've already made us finish all our homework for the week. What more do we need to do?" complained Tracey, eager to get to doing something more fun. The blonde ignored her friend as she went and took out two large books from a nearby shelf. The first book was very well worn, with many wrinkles and smudges that littered the cover. Its pages were a sickly yellow and parts of it seemed to have been torn and badly magicked back together. The title was so worn out that it was unrecognizable to the curious brunette. The second book was much less ancient-looking. It was embossed, with a shiny red cover that spelled ' _Legacy: A Guide to Wizarding Inheritance for the Pureblood_ '. Daphne took out a piece of used parchment and quill before she began to take notes.

"Ok, so what is this? And why are we still here?" asked Tracey, increasingly annoyed at Daphne by now. The brunette understood her friend's state of irritancy, but this was strange, even for Daphne.

By now, the blonde had fallen into a rhythm of concentration as she flicked through the pages. Many moving pictures, drawings and words flashed across as Daphne skimmed through the text at a lightning quick pace until she reached a particular page. It was remarkably plain, only showing a small picture of a man with fair skin, long black hair and murky grey eyes. Daphne was completely engrossed in the page she was reading and so Tracey decided to do something drastic.

"Daphne, this isn't the time for you to be looking for a new boyfriend" she said, watching closely for Daphne's reaction. From experience, Tracey knew that this was an effective, if embarrassing, method to get Daphne's attention.

…

However, Daphne just simply pointed at the words on top of the man's picture without any verbal response. Tracey frowned as her eyes travelled to the top of the page. Her eyes widening in surprise, Tracey gasped as the name on the page was recognized by her. She had heard it many, many times from conversations between her parents and from newspapers, especially those that came out last year. In large bold letters, the name 'Sirius Orion Black III' shone out towards her, like a dazzling golden light onto the murky library ceiling.

"It's about Potter" Daphne said, continuing to make notes as she flicked through the book again. Tracey looked at her queerly. "What?" she asked dumbly, not knowing what to say. Immensely curious now, Tracey continued to pester the blonde as she worked. After a short while, Daphne relented. Sighing, she pointed to her notes. On it, Daphne had written the title 'HJP + SOB =?' and a long list of words that Tracey couldn't make out.

"Ok spill, what is this and why are you doing it?" Tracey asked, beginning to glare at her friend. Daphne shrugged and began to explain. "A few weeks ago, Weasley mentioned something about someone whose name began with 'Padf', who was going to meet with Potter. Potter and Granger however prevented him from speaking further so my suspicions were aroused" Daphne explained. Tracey nodded as she tried to think of why this was relevant to her investigation of the Black heir.

"I deduced that this person was likely to be not in school since there is no-one with a nickname that begins with those letters" began Daphne, who had once again adopted a teacher-like tone and posture. "Hence, I figured that this person was likely to have connections with Potter outside of school." Tracey slowly nodded in understanding.

Given that no-one was bothered to educate Potter on wizarding culture, I made the assumption that this 'Padf' person was tied to either of his parents rather than Potter himself. And so, I tried to find information from the library's resources but there was nothing about a 'padf' that tied into either of Potter's parents. Tracey nodded again. "Why didn't you just ask Harry? You see him virtually every single day?" This was true of course, that being a side effect of having only forty people in the year group, it was difficult to not at least have some idea of everyone else that you took class with.

Daphne arched an eyebrow. "If they were trying to keep it a secret from me, why would Potter tell me now?" The logic made sense but it was obvious that Daphne was still uncomfortable around Harry.

"Then why are you researching this?" asked Tracey who was trying to goad the blonde into revealing the reason for Daphne's discomfort around Harry Potter. As high as Tracey's tolerance for the blonde's lack of communication at most times, Daphne had become increasingly withdrawn. Tracey knew there wasn't anything particularly bad that had happened to the Greengrass family or Daphne in particular so there wasn't any reason for the stoic blonde's current attitude. With a sigh, Daphne looked up from her reading.

"The events of the past month have showed that I don't understand Potter. How he acts and what happens contradict each other and he is almost impossible to predict." Tracey had to hold back a chuckle. "Henceforth, I decided that researching every part of him would allow me to understand him better."

"You realize if you talked to Harry, he would probably respond right?" Tracey asked. Daphne looked affronted but Tracey pressed on. "As I said, he is a nice guy. Plus, you did him a favour, so his 'Gryffindor's honor' would probably make him want to repay you in some way. Daphne looked contemplatively at Tracey again but shook her head. "I don't want to talk to Potter. His presence in my life is a nuisance."

Tracey looked bemused. "Is it about the job your father gave you?" Daphne wanted to glare at her friend for asking that question but refrained from cursing. The silence was all Tracey needed to confirm her suspicions. "Daphne, I told you, stop treating it like a job. You won't get it done." Daphne ignored her friend. How could she not? It had been looming over her head since the end of June. Before that, her life was far simpler. Now it was just Potter, Potter and more Potter.

Daphne let out a frustrated grunt as she glared at Tracey. The brunette in question looked at her curiously but didn't verbally respond. "Can I continue?" asked Daphne who wanted to change the subject. Tracey nodded and the blonde pointed at her notes.

"So, from my research, I tried to find out who the 'Padf' person is. I even sent a letter to mother to ask if she knew anything" Daphne explained. "Unfortunately, she didn't." Tracey looked upwards in thought.

"So what does this have to do with Sirius Black?" asked Tracey. Daphne pointed at another section of her notes, titled 'Potter Family line'. "I tried looking through Potter's lineage to see if there were any other Potters who still lived, since they could be potential candidates for that person. Did you know that had Potter's relative who was named Charlus Potter who married into the Black family?" Daphne glanced at Tracey, who shook her head as the blonde continued. "Apparently, that was his granduncle. His grandfather was named Fleamont Potter who –"

"WAIT! Fleamont Potter?! The wizard who made Sleekeazy's Hair Potion! That was Potter's grandfather!" Tracey yelled disbelievingly, having suddenly stood up. Her outburst drew a few angry hisses from the strict librarian, for which the pair apologized for. The library pacified, Daphne simply nodded as Tracey sat down in shock.

"Anyways, so I thought Potter might have known this Charlus person but apparently he's been dead since 1980, Potter – er… Harry that is, wouldn't have ever met him." Daphne said, glancing at Tracey who nodded as she followed through. "So since all other branches of the Potter Family seem to have been discontinued, I had to move on to my final list of candidates." Daphne explained.

"Sirius Black?" Tracey asked, gesturing at the newer notes that were on the table. Daphne nodded

"I decided to make an investigation on each of each of Potter's parent's friends so I decided to start with Black." Daphne finished. Tracey scanned the multitude of parchment as she looked at Daphne. "Wow, you seem to have really thought this stuff through." Tracey said, letting her impressed tone bleed into her voice.

Daphne smirked proudly "Of course I have, I've been working on this for two weeks by now." Tracey could barely hold back her chuckle as Daphne went back to reading.

"Now, if you would like to help, go get me another piece of parchment from my room please, I will probably need some more." Tracey gave her a friend a toothy smile as she waved goodbye to Daphne.

" _Daphne, Daphne, Daphne, when are you going to realize…."_ Tracey thought as she walked out of the library, snickering as she thought about the pages of notes that Daphne had written.

* * *

 _Location: Great Hall_

Back in the Great Hall, Harry, Ron and Hermione were quickly eating. Sirius's reply to Harry's letter had finally arrived and the three were anxious to see what the grim animagus had written in response. Over the past week, Harry had more or less fully recovered from the bruises and exhaustion that he had wrought on his body. Even the horrible burning sensation had faded away after a few days, only leaving a small 'magical burn scar' in its wake.

On the other hand, Harry's relationship with Hermione had not healed as fast. As much as he wanted to trust his former best friend, Hermione's actions had severely hurt him emotionally. While they were still friends, their bond would no longer be the same again.

It really didn't help when Ron pulled Harry aside one day to inquire about his current relationship with the bookish girl. Harry's answer seemed to confuse his redheaded best friend, or it caused him uneasy, Harry honestly couldn't tell very well. And since Daphne and Tracey were almost phantasmal at the moment, as far as Harry could see, the boy didn't really have anyone to talk to about his situation. He had glanced at the Slytherin table to see where his friends were but his search came up fruitless.

The three quietly finished their meal or rather Harry and Hermione did, Ron just quickly gobbled up the rest of his food as quickly as he could. Excusing themselves from the boisterous table while trying to damper calls of "Dragon Rider" and "Breaker of Flames!", as were apparently his new titles, Harry, Hermione and Ron made their way back to the Gryffindor common room. Along the way, some people greeted the trio, who returned their greetings earnestly, though quieter than usual. While almost no-one noticed, there was a rift that had formed between the once closest of friends. A quick whisper of the password ( _PENDRAGON)_ from Hermione allowed them entrance into their common room, where the three sat down and Harry took out the letter. It was written quickly, as were all of the elder man's letters though unlike his last letter, Sirius seemed to be writing using proper writing tools, rather than whatever he had been using prior.

 _Harry,_

 _Good to know that you are safe, risky move on the dragon there though. Remus would probably scold you but I am proud. I'm sure James is too. I'll be staying in the area, keep me posted if anything happens. My best to Ron and Hermione._

 _Sirius_

"Well that's interesting" said Ron thoughtfully. Harry and Hermione continued their silence. "It's not safe" said Harry firmly. Hermione made a sound in agreement but said nothing. Ron looked concernedly at his two friend's interaction.

"So…" started Ron. His two friends turned their gazes at him, causing the redhead to flinch slightly. "Any ideas about the egg?" At this, the trio collectively cringed. The 'egg', as is how they referred to Harry's reward for the first task, turned out to be a device which emitted a harsh screeching sound when opened. This first instance occurred when Harry had recovered enough to return to the common room on the past Friday, causing all the Gryffindors to cover their ears in pain.

"No," said Harry monotonously. Hermione looked away in shame. The girl had spent a lot of time on trying to figure out what the sound meant, even having put her 'pet project' on hold to help. Harry and Ron hadn't been much help in this regard as they both thought that there was "loads of time" left before the second task on February 22nd on the next year.

"Does Greengrass or Tracey have any idea?" asked Ron. As much as he was unwilling to admit it, the redhead had felt a strange sense of emptiness over the past week. He didn't really understand it but it still bothered him. At Ron's words, Hermione froze but remained silent. Harry was watching the bookish girl intently at this but looked away satisfied.

"Haven't spoken to them recently" Harry answered, once again observing Hermione for a response. The girl seemed to sit up straighter but otherwise gave no physical indication that she had heard Harry's words.

"They've not been around, have they?" Ron remarked. A short silence followed as the boys waited for the usually loquacious Hermione to give her opinion. When she stayed uncharacteristically silent however, they were surprised, though only for a moment as Hermione spoke after a short interval.

"Don't you have lessons with Greengrass?" she asked quietly, her voice barely above a whisper. Harry glanced closely at Hermione, whose expression almost seemed pained to ask for help from the Greengrass scion. Harry frowned as he responded.

"We've not had a session since the tournament started," he said "Daphne said something about having finished what she wanted to teach me." Hermione hardened at the casual mention of the blonde Slytherin's name and withdrew further. Silence reigned once more between the friends, an awkward tension rising once more. Ron began to feel ever so more uncomfortable. He was used to Hermione's garrulousness and Harry being almost completely benign. Now, his two friends were acting virtually like the opposites of what they usually were and he really didn't like it.

"Want to do something else? A pickup game of Quidditch perhaps?" Ron questioned rather loudly. Harry and Hermione quickly shot another glance at the redhead.

"Cedric's probably hogging the field right now, so we can't use it." Harry said simply. At this, Hermione turned away, trying to mask her current expression.

"I wish I could've seen him fly," wondered Harry aloud. Ron smiled weakly at his friend's words. The Hufflepuff champion's tactic against the dragon was truly ingenious. Summoning a broom. Why didn't anyone think of it? The dashing champion was pestered for many days after the match. After all, he went through the ordeal without any major virtually no injuries and almost full marks (Karkaroff was persistent in only giving five points). This rocketed him into the lead, narrowly followed by Viktor with 41 points, Harry with 35 points and Fleur with 32.

"Harry!"

THe trio paused their conversation in surprise. Harry quickly turned around and noticed that the usually smartly dressed and well-groomed Hufflepuff looked slightly dishevelled but nonetheless content.

"Hello Cedric." He replied, keeping a neutral face. Harry honestly didn't know what to think about the older boy right now. On one hand, he was happy that Hogwarts was in the lead for the tournament but the fact that Cedric's success was almost completely dependent on Harry telling him about the task's contents left a strangely bitter aftertaste in his mouth. Something inside him made him feel irritated, even if he personally had to grudging thoughts about Cedric.

"Thanks for the tip," Cedric said brightly "I would probably have kicked it if you didn't tell me" he continued, sending another pang of irritation through Harry.

"I heard you summoned your broom and out-flew it, marvellous job" Harry said, with a slight bit of force.

Cedric seemed to blush as he rubbed the back of his head. "Nah, you probably could have done the same, or even better. I just got lucky that the Horntail I fought had its thermite sac damaged, it flew slower and spat less fire than it should have" he explained modestly.

Harry felt his irritation diminish as Cedric continued "Besides, I heard you fought the Fireball head on! Merlin, you have a great set down there!" he joked, eliciting a small laugh from Harry. Cedric soon joined in for a short while, their echoing mirth filling the corridor with cheer. As their laughter died down, Cedric leaned close to Harry.

"Listen, I've been telling my housemates to stop wearing those badges," he said, referring to the abominations that Malfoy had created. "Most of them have stopped, I've even got some 'claws to stop as well." Harry couldn't help but smile at the older boy's gesture and continued to listen. "Unfortunately, I don't have much sway in Slytherin, so they're probably not going to stop." Cedric's sad tone accompanied his downcast expression which almost immediately caused Harry to reply.

"It's alright, Cedric, I'm already used to it. Remember two years ago?" He said, causing the older boy to grimace. "Yeah, sorry about the whole 'Heir to Slytherin' fiasco, Harry," Cedric said "I kind of followed the crowd like a sheep back then. I sort of know what it's like on the other side now so for what it's worth, sorry."

Harry warmly accepted the apology. "It's fine, like I said, I'm used to it."

Cedric gave Harry a reassuring smile. "You're a pretty amazing person, you know that Harry?" Harry tilted his head in confusion as the other boy elaborated "I mean really, you went through all that two years ago and got right back up. Then there was all that about Sirius Black and the dementors last year, Merlin I remember them showing up during our game."

Harry have an involuntary shiver at the dark memories but Cedric continued. "You still went on though, I reckon you learnt the **Patronus**?" he asked, revelling in the surprised look on Harry's face "Yeah, I sort of recognized that spell when you used it against Malfoy and his cronies last year, splendid job, by the way, not that many grown wizards can do it even." Harry blushed from the praise.

"And now you're up against three of the most powerful young wizards in Europe, competing in a tournament known to kill people, even while you're still underage!" Cedric spoke amazedly. Harry wanted to correct Cedric but was waved off. "Don't worry, I believe you that you didn't enter yourself into the cup." Harry looked stunned at the surprisingly bold stance that Cedric portrayed.

"Thanks…" was all Harry managed to say. Cedric grinned "Don't mention it. Honestly though, I'd help you out but I've got my hands full with schoolwork and the tournament. Plus, I don't have a clue where to start" he said apologetically. Harry shook himself out of stupor as he answered Cedric "It's fine, I'm trying to figure it out too, you don't need to worry about me." Cedric looked uncertainly towards Harry but nodded.

"Well, it's been nice talking to you," Cedric said "Anything else you want to talk about? We've still got time before class." Harry barely needed to think for he had a question that had been bothering him since he had first heard of Cedric's tactical victory over the Hungarian Horntail.

"How did you come up with the idea to summon our broom? I wasn't even aware that we could do that." Harry asked. Cedric laughed a little. "Everyone asks that question!" he said laughingly. "To be honest though, I didn't come up with the idea completely on my own." Harry looked p curiously. "Who gave you the idea then?"

Cedric looked thoughtfully at Harry for a moment. He appeared to be contemplating hard, analysing the situation to determine the answer. Harry kept a neutral expression as he waited for a few seconds.

"Alright." Cedric started as he furtively cast a multitude of sensory charms to make sure no-one important was around "Don't listen to the rumors floating around but I actually got the idea from Professor Moody." Harry's gaze shot up in surprise as Cedric continued. "Yeah, I was surprised too. He pulled me back one class and asked if I'd seen you around back then. He then told me to tell you to 'play to your strengths'. I tried looking for you then but I couldn't find you." Cedric looked apologetic as he said this. "So anyways, I thought about what Moody said and realized that I could probably use my broom to help me out in the task so I used the extra week to practise flying and summoning my broom. You already know the rest."

Harry frowned. _"Darn, I should have thought of that. Though… why didn't Krum think of it either? Must not have occurred to him"_ he thought. Shrugging he looked back at Cedric. "It's fine, no harm done, I'm still alive and all." Harry's attempt at a joke didn't do anything to soothe the Hufflepuff's guilt and so the older boy spoke up again.

"Tell you what, if I figure out anything on the Egg, I'll tell you, alright? Fairness and all that" Harry smiled "Sure." The two competitors shook hands as a sign of their agreement.

"Well I best get going," said Cedric "I've got Arithmancy with Vector next, don't want to be late." Harry gave his friend a wave as the older boy disappeared into an adjacent corridor.

"Well that was interesting," Hermione commented idly. Harry nodded but smiled slightly, happy that Cedric was on his side.

* * *

 _Location: Slytherin Common Room_

A silent pair walked into the Slytherin common room. At their entrance, a hundred pairs of eyes turned towards the rapidly closing portal door. Immediately, Daphne and Tracey went on guard as the crowd swiftly parted to either side of the room. Silence reigned inside the dimly lit dungeon as Pansy Parkinson stepped forward.

"Daphne Greengrass, Heiress Presumptive to the Noble and Ancient House Greengrass" she said forcefully. Daphne pursed her lips irritated as Tracey took a step back. A familiar scene was playing. Last time something like this happened, Marcus Flint and Darius Nott fought a short but fierce duel against the then-leaders of the house, Silas Burke and Heloise Selwyn. The bout ended with the latter two in St. Mungo's as well as a new round of leadership in the snake's pit. Now, it appeared that Parkinson was attempting to secure her power early, since half of the unholy duo had finally graduated. The blonde grit her teeth as she sized up the crowd. She was unaware that her reputation had deteriorated so quickly, or that Parkinson was able to cajole so many people to her cause so rapidly.

"I, Pansy Samantha of the Noble and Ancient House of Parkinson, challenge you to a trial by combat, as by the ancient ways." Parkinson said in a formal yet sneering tone. Daphne grimaced in irritation. "If you accept, the duel will commence here and now." The pug-faced girl smirked at her blonde counterpart. Daphne looked around the room, hoping to see a way out of the situation. A wide sea of blank eyes stared right back at her, carefully analysing the situation that was beginning to develop. Theo appeared to be missing and none of the prefects were around. Her gaze fell on Draco, who seemed to be trying to make himself as invisible to the crowd as possible. If the situation was less dire, Daphne would probably have laughed at the ponce's uncharacteristic behaviour. Seeing nothing, Daphne turned back to Pansy.

"On what premise?" asked Daphne, trying to buy some time. Behind her, Tracey's wand was almost unsheathed, ready to place a good hex at the Parkinson heiress. Inwardly, Daphne's mind was going on overdrive. To decline a duel was akin to forfeiture and thus a loss of honor. If it were anyone else, Daphne would gladly haven taken the challenge and battled it out like a Gryffindor. However, the consequences of possibly injuring Pansy could be severe. Her parents' wouldn't be much help, Cyril Greengrass would happily stab himself with a knife before losing out on a good business deal and Eve Greengrass preferred to allow experience to teach, allowing her daughters to face the consequences of their actions rather than bailing them out at every turn.

The Parkinson heiress stood boldly, eyeing her opponent with a steely gaze. The tense moments where Greengrass scanned the room worriedly felt like sweet honey to Pansy's lips. Draco never acted against the prissy heiress, a fact that Pansy never got a satisfactory answer for. No matter. She will take down the smug bitch, then Draco would fully acknowledge her as his life partner. And then…! Stuck in her delusional fantasy, Pansy didn't notice her adversary's question. A tense interval passed once more as the pair glowered fiercely at one another.

Feeling the weight of the eyes on her, Daphne grit her teeth slightly. She could not afford to lose face in front of the house and so made her decision. She opened her mouth to speak but was interrupted by a slow clapping noise from the crowd which took to the then silent dungeon like a blaze to a cornfield.

"So … Parkinson" came a childish voice from beside Draco. The blond momentarily looked shocked as everyone's attention was towards the direction of the voice, who slowly revealed herself. Astoria Greengrass walked forward and looked up at the taller black hair girl, the latter of whom sneered balefully at the younger witch.

"Who are you supposed to be?" Pansy asked, leaning slightly menacingly in an attempt to intimidate the younger girl. However, the brown-haired witch simply smirked. "Astoria, scion of House Greengrass." At Astoria's words, Pansy began chortling. Daphne had broken her glare at the Parkinson heir, now looking worriedly at her younger sister _"What are you doing Tori?"_

A few moments later, Pansy stopped her cackling and turned to Astoria. "Really? A Greengrass girl? Coming to the defence of that?" she said, gesturing at Daphne, "Aren't your words something to do with 'reaping what you sow'? Stand down now and I will give you clemency." Pansy couldn't help but smirk. It was ridiculously easy to shepherd the younger Slytherins to her thinking, thanks of course to Draco's campaign against Potter. However, what the younger girl did surprised Pansy.

Astoria laughed. A few moments of the chuckling sound filled the dungeon again.

"Of course," she said "I am not going to let you lead us into ruin." Murmurs began to arise from the gathered crowd. Pansy looked loftily at Astoria. "What do you mean, Greengrass junior?" Astoria ignored the implied insult as she continued.

"You see; Daphne here is under the protection of one Harry Potter." More murmurs began to pop up amongst the younger Slytherins. Pansy looked around the room. As the underclassmen talked, the small number of upper-class Slytherins simply watched attentively at the events but did not interfere. Pansy frowned. Opposite her, Daphne's eyes had widened fiercely as she glared silently at her younger sister.

"So?" Pansy asked arrogantly after a short while. Astoria grinned "Well…" she drawled "I seem to recall many stories that you and dear Draco here" she said, pointing at the Malfoy heir, "about his terrifying capabilities. How he once commandeered a snake to attack people, or a hippogriff? I'm not sure." Pansy's eyes narrowed as another person spoke up.

"Yeah, I heard about that one, didn't the beast almost kill you, Heir Malfoy?" asked a softly speaking second-year that Pansy didn't recognize. Whispers and murmurs continued to fill the room, many students putting in their thoughts on Harry Potter.

"I heard he tamed the dragon he fought! That's how he survived the flames!"

"I heard he is a phoenix animagus!"

"He is fire incarnate!"

Soon, many of the alleged rumors about the last Potter had circulated the room, each growing more and more outlandish as time went. Pansy watched in horror as her 'army' appeared to crumble before her eyes. Astoria cleared her voice, prompting Pansy to look at her. A loud bang interrupted the cacophony in the room, causing the majority of the room's occupants to look back towards the center.

"So, Parkinson, if you somehow injure Daphne here, you, and by extension our entire house, would face the full wrath of the 'boy-who-lived'. And I believe I speak for most of us when I say that I do not want to go against a legion of dragons," Astoria finished, looking around the room. Many of the younger Slytherins widened their eyes horrified and began nodding at the brunette's words. Within a few minutes, the crowd almost entirely dispersed as the younger Slytherins fled in fear that they would make the wrong choice. The few remaining older Slytherins didn't say anything but their contemplative looks gave away enough information for anyone to realize their thought process.

With her support lost, Pansy grit her teeth. "I can still beat you down right now, Greengrass." Astoria smirked at the challenge. "Honestly, Parkinson, if you can't hold the attention of a few twelve years olds, how are you meant to lead?" Astoria turned to Draco as she delivered the coup de grace "Really, Malfoy, you could do so much better than her." With an innocent smile, the youngest witch sautered off back into her dormitory, leaving a broken, yet murderous Pansy Parkinson in the common room. Draco looked thoughtfully at the fleeting form of the younger Greengrass, a glance that the most perceptive of those present took note of. Seeing as no-one would stop her, Daphne took the opportunity to dash after her sister.

Walking quickly down the stair, Daphne barged her way into Astoria's room. The girl in question was sitting on her green satin bed, smirking at her older sister as though she expected the incursion. With a huff, Daphne spoke.

"I don't need anyone's protection, least of all Harry bloody Potter's protection." She said bluntly. Astoria raised an eyebrow as Daphne continued. "I am the heiress presumptive of a Noble and Ancient House! I certainly don't need the help of an unclassed boy!" Astoria began to smirk at her sister's exasperation. Daphne's rant tapered off as Astoria began to speak.

"Well, for starters, you should thank me for getting out of that situation," she said causing Daphne to huff as she reluctantly complied. "Second of all, you kind of are under his protection." Daphne looked questioningly at Astoria as she elaborated "Since you became Potter's 'friend', you are technically associated with Potter and thus he would likely help you out, at least if Potter's hero complex rumors prove true," Daphne nodded, still miffed but understood.

"But what if your gambit didn't work, Tori?" Daphne asked. Astoria froze, an action that Daphne immediately seized on. "Astoria, you are not some kind of master manipulator. You got lucky that you were dealing with the pug, most others have workarounds and contingencies to their plans, hasn't father taught you that much?" Astoria gave a sharp look at Daphne as the older girl stood up.

"Thank you for the assistance, I guess. Next time, make sure you have a contingency for anything you do." Astoria wordlessly agreed as Daphne began to walk through the door.

"Oh, and another thing," Daphne said. Astoria looked curiously at her sister "Stay away from Malfoy." Daphne punctuated her words with a glare, which Astoria rebuffed with an innocent smile that said 'Who? Me?" With an irritated swish of her hair, the blonde walked out of her sister's room.

* * *

 _Date: Tuesday December 6_ _th_ _, 1994_

The next few days passed without much incident, sans the Parkinson heir's frequent murderous glances that she sent towards the Greengrass siblings. It was almost funny for Daphne, if she weren't equally irritated at Pansy for essentially humiliating her and for worsening the rumors surrounding herself and Potter. And thus, so they were, glaring at each other from their seats at the end of a relatively uninteresting Charms class.

"Alright, pack away your things, I have a special announcement" Professor Flitwick called in his squeaky voice. The Hufflepuff and Slytherin fourth-years began returning the objects in front of them back to their original positions. Soon the mess was cleared away and Flitwick began to speak once more.

"The Yule Ball is approaching, it is a traditional part of the Triwizard Tournament and an opportunity for us to socialize with our foreign guests. Now, the ball will be open only to fourth years and above, though you may invite a younger student if you wish"

Whispers immediately broke out between the students. Ernie Macmillan threw a cursory glance at Megan Jones, which was immediately reciprocated in kind. Pansy gave a similar look at Draco but was sorely disappointed when Draco looked out the window instead. Beside Daphne, Tracey sat up suddenly. Poking Daphne in the ribs, she gave the blonde a few gestures, to which Daphne nodded. Flitwick dismissed the class and the Slytherin best friends took off.

In another classroom around the school, Hermione was panicking as Professor McGonagall continued to deliver her speech on international cooperation. The Yule Ball had just been announced and Hermione was not going to let her friends get snatched up by the Slytherin bints who almost tore their friendship apart. As soon as McGonagall finished her speech and dismissed the class, Hermione quickly rushed up to Ron.

"Ronald Weasley," she began, trying her best to keep the desperation from her voice "Can you please take me to the Yule Ball?"

Ron froze as he heard her proposal. A rumbling of footsteps appeared outside the room but he couldn't hear it. In another life, he would have readily agreed without a second thought. While a large part of him wanted to agree immediately, he felt held back by a familiar feeling of doubt which seemed to be growing. However, as he looked deep into Hermione's deep brown eyes, he made his decision.

"Sure."

* * *

 _Spells Used/Mentioned:_

 _Expecto Patronum – Patronus Charm_

 _A/N: And the plot thickens! Kind of :P_

 ** _Next Time: Proposal_**


	13. Chapter 13 - Proposal

" _Text"_ – Thoughts

" **Text"** – Spellcast

 _Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, JK Rowling does_

* * *

 _ **Chapter 13 – Proposal**_

 _Date: Friday, December 9_ _th_ _1994_

 _Location: Potions Classroom_

"So, Harry" Ron said as they shuffled out of a particularly difficult Potions class "You reckon Tracey is mad at me?" Harry shrugged in response. He had about as much of an idea as Ron did about the situation and thus chose not to comment. Behind them, Hermione walked quietly as they headed back up to ground floor. As she passed Tracey and Daphne, she ignored the hurt and incensed looks, respectively, that were given to her.

"I mean really, she usually greets me or something, today was just … eh?" Ron said. Harry gave a glance towards Daphne and Tracey but still had no idea what was going on and thus simply shrugged again in response. The trio soon made their way out of the classroom, leaving Daphne and Tracey alone in the classroom.

"Tracey…" asked Daphne in a cautious tone. These past few days, Tracey had been strangely silent, ever since when the pair had run all the way to the Transfiguration classroom after Flitwick's Yule Ball announcement. The trip was a waste of effort.

It didn't make much sense to Daphne. Tracey hadn't shown any signs of having romantic feelings the youngest Weasley, so why was she acting like this? The boy was clearly an idiot, rejecting her best friend for the brown-nosing harpy! Coupled with his general lack of ability and overall laziness, Daphne failed to see what Tracey saw in him and thus couldn't explain why the brunette was acting like this. Still though, it was the only logical explanation Daphne could come up with to explain Tracey's current moroseness.

The pair made their way silently back to the common room, carefully trying to avoid other students. The past few days were highly annoying for the blonde heiress, having been asked by seemingly almost every male to the Yule Ball. From Cornfoot and Entwhistle to random Durmstrang students, Daphne spent much of her time rejecting people and, of course, hexing the more 'persistent' or unruly ones. Usually, Tracey would make a joke at her expense but the brunette's sadness seemed as persistent as Daphne's 'admirers'.

As the painting of Linfred of Stinchcombe came into view, the pair sighed in relief. They made it without any incident. With a whisper of "Midgardsormr" the pair walked into their common room. However, not two steps into the room, they were stopped by a familiar but irritating voice.

"Lady Greengrass, it is very nice to see you" drawled one Blaise Zabini, who had seemingly come out of the shadows to greet Daphne. Tracey immediately looked away as Daphne glared at the slick boy.

"What is it, Zabini" she said forcefully, her teeth gritted from the anger she felt at the boy in front of her. A mocking laugh sounded from Blaise.

"Now, now," he said in a faux calm voice "That is not the way a lady should act towards a gentleman, Lady Greengrass. What _would_ your father think?" Daphne sent him a piercing glare. "Show me a gentleman and I'll show you how I'd act…" she said, glowering at Zabini. The boy smirked.

"Whoever do you mean then? Cornfoot? Entwhistle?" he said, causing Daphne's scowl to deepen at each word. "Or do you mean Potter?" If looks could do damage, Blaise Zabini would have been erased from this plane of existence entirely from the sheer intensity of the glare Daphne gave him. Alas, this was not the case, as much as Daphne wished it were to be.

Blaise laughed mockingly at the blonde's scowl, before giving her a devilish grin. "You are pitiful, you know," he said "you, an heir presumptive of a Noble and Ancient House, having to cower behind a half-mud Gryffindor! I have never seen someone so pathetic in my life!" Another mocking howl was heard from Blaise. Tracey flinched but couldn't verbally react to the slander. Several other students looked at the commotion but didn't bother with the seemingly small spat.

Daphne looked irately at Blaise, her murderous intent seeming to leak out like a sort of invisible aura around her. Her wand was in her hand before she knew it, about to cast the most excruciating and horrendous curse at his simpering face. Tracey had edged back in fear at the rapidly worsening scene while the surrounding Slytherins were beginning to watch with interest.

Inside Daphne's mind, a torrential maelstrom was raging. _"HOW DARE HE MOCK ME IN SUCH A MANNER!_ " she mentally screamed. Another enraged glare was sent in Blaise's direction but was deflected with his arrogant smirk. That was the last straw. Daphne pointed her wand at him, ready to fire, when –.

A laugh sounded from behind Blaise.

Daphne paused as both fourth years quickly turned their eyes to the source of the voice, who turned out to be none other than Sophie Roper. The black haired girl continued to chortle as Blaise looked at her questioningly. Daphne ignored Sophie and focused her rage on Blaise once more, about to curse him to the depths of hell when Sophie spoke.

"Looked in a mirror recently, Blaise?" she said, eliciting sniggering from some of the surrounding students. To his credit, Blaise barely reacted to the insult but simply stopped smiling. Daphne bit back her own chuckle at Blaise's expense as Sophie continued.

"Plus, Zabini, I do recall you looking at some, hmm, what did you call them" she said, pausing while making an over exaggerated thinking pose. "Oh yes! A half-mud, you were checking out her arse!" Blaise reddened imperceptibly, caught off guard by the revelation of his moment of weakness. Sophie smirked as she turned to the blonde some ways forward of her. "Pretty pathetic, eh Daphne? Tracey?"

Daphne's self-control lapsed and she snorted in amusement. Blaise's shock became more pronounced. With a huff, he simply walked out of the common room, ignoring the looks given to him by the crowd that had gathered.

Daphne sighed as she felt her adrenaline rush fall. Panting slightly, she turned to look at Tracey. The brunette's neutral façade was on full display, causing Daphne to frown. _"That damn Zabini!"_ she thought, _"How dare he…"_ turning away from Tracey, she glanced at the smirking raven-haired girl in front of her.

"Don't expect me to thank you" said Daphne with an indignant huff. This was the second time in a few days where she had to 'saved' by someone. While not excessively so, Daphne still had her pride and it stung to be treated like she was helpless. Sophie gave her a wry smile "Don't expect you to." Frowning, Daphne slipped her hand into her moleskin sack but was stopped by Sophie's waving hand.

"Take this one as a freebie, I'm feeling generous." Sophie said offhandedly. Tracey looked up in surprise at her words as Daphne raised an eyebrow. Sophie Roper, the parsimonious information broker who would sell her grandmother for a few sickles, being generous? What was the world coming to!

Seeing their (rather obvious) surprised looks, Sophie elaborated. "Business is booming these days," she said taking out a small piece of paper. On it seemed to be an assortment of tiny yet random scribbles. Daphne looked questioningly at Sophie who grinned back. "This is the list of who is going with whom to the ball and also a list of who _wants_ to go with whom." Daphne's eyes widened.

"I don't understand," said Tracey shakily from behind Daphne "How does that make you money?" Sophie's grin grew wolfish, a gleam appearing in her eyes. "Think about it, what would people do if they wanted to ask someone?" Tracey nodded, her sad look morphing into one of thought. Her eyes mirrored Daphne's expression as realization dawned on her. Sophie gave the pair a wry smile.

"It's all demand and supply," she explained with a triumphant. "Raking in Galleons by now!" Sophie's expression changed abruptly. With a small frown, she said "Now I just have to figure out who to go with myself … to gather information, of course" Daphne and Tracey shared a quick look with one another, silently but unanimously coming to the same conclusion.

"Go with Theo." Daphne offered offhandedly. Sophie raised an eyebrow but carefully considered the offer. "Hmm… I guess that would work. Nott is quiet enough, won't try to talk to me when I'm out gathering intel. Yes, that works" she mused. Daphne held back the urge to smile as the black haired girl marched over to the Nott heir. Theo was sitting on his own, as per usual and looked up in confusion as he heard his name called.

"You, me ball in?" Sophie asked bluntly. Theo's confusion briefly turned to shock. A brief flicker appeared in his eyes as he scanned the room, his gaze falling on Daphne and Tracey. The latter gave him a small smile, which he returned with a slightly bowed head.

"That would be agreeable, Roper" Theo said, his voice warbling slightly. Sophie stared suspiciously at him for a moment before she spoke again.

"If you are taking me to the ball, at least call me by my first name, Theodore." Theo simply nodded in reaction. Grinning, Sophie looked around the common room, scanning for people's reactions and silently filing them into her head for future use.

"Well, that's that I guess," Sophie said turning around. "I'll see you in class, Theodore." The boy in question nodded as Sophie walked back to her dorm to prepare for dinner. Daphne and Tracey watched the rest of the exchange in amusement before they too headed upstairs. Before her gaze averted though, Daphne glimpsed a furtive but grateful nod sent to her by Theo.

* * *

 _Date: Thursday, December 15_ _th_ _1994_

 _Location: Hogwarts Library_

Today was not going very well for Harry James Potter who had just –.

"POTTER, WILL YOU GO WITH ME TO THE BALL!" screamed a fifth year Gryffindor as he walked out of the library. A round of hisses flew through the open door as Harry sized up the imposing person that had just asked him to the ball. Weakening slightly her sheer height, Harry almost inaudibly said no, leaving a frustrated girl stomping back down stairs.

Ron laughed loudly at the occurrence, causing Harry to frown. "She was quite good-looking," said Ron fairly, after he'd stopped laughing.

"She was a foot taller than me," said Harry, still unnerved. "Imagine what I'd look like trying to dance with her." Ron's laughter recommenced as Harry sighed. This was the sixth time this week someone had asked him to the ball. He did feel bad for rejecting all these girls but he already had someone in mind to ask … when he saw her again of course. Hermione gave Ron a look as the trio ascended the stairs to their respective destinations

Inside the library, Daphne frowned. That was a certain Beatrice Paylor, a mildly attractive girl who Daphne didn't find particularly interesting. Regardless, it was causing another commotion in the library, which further irritated the blond.

"KYAA"

And there was the fan club of the other celebrity in the school. It really didn't help that the celebrated Quidditch player seemed to frequent far more often than seemed necessary. After the ninth time this happened in the past week, Daphne theorized that Viktor Krum's fan club had set up an undetectable extension charm on the library wall to camp inside the room, thus being able to ambush the man whenever he walked in.

Sighing, Daphne put down the old newspaper article she was reading on a person named Mary Cattermole née Macdonald who had won a Herbology competition in 1977. Since the past week, Daphne had come up with multiple dead ends when researching James Potter's few close friends and thus decided to search up on Lily Evans' friends instead.

Beside her, Tracey sat neutrally, reading a book titled _Nordic Mythology: A Timeline._ As deeply engrossed as she seemed to the casual observer, it was clear to anyone who was closely watching her that she was reading the same line over and over again. A typical frown marred Daphne's face as her concentration was lost. A few moments passed without incidence, as Daphne watched her friend's mask to look for cracks. Finding nothing, Daphne decided to pack her things.

"I've got Runes now," she explained plainly. Tracey nodded imperceptibly in acknowledgement. With that, the blonde left Tracey in the library, just as Viktor Krum stood up. Deep in thought, Daphne sped up unconsciously and she accidentally crashed into the tall Bulgarian in front of her

"Oof" he said as he felt the younger girl walk into him. Daphne looked up and glared at one of the sources of her current irritation as she turned and walked out of the library, her long blonde hair swishing about as she walked. Krum looked surprised at the retreating figure but shrugged as he began walking towards the books.

Back in her table, Tracey had a faraway look as she gazed out of the library. _"It isn't that, Daph_ " she thought sadly, _"I just wish someone would ask me…"_

* * *

 _Date: Friday, 16_ _th_ _December 1994_

 _Location: Gryffindor Common Room_

Another early morning roused Harry as he made his way down to the Great Hall with Ron and Hermione in tow.

"Harry, you've just got to grit your teeth and do it," Ron said in an almost heroic manner. Harry gave his best friend a nervous smile as he began to think of a certain upper-class Ravenclaw. Behind them, Hermione fidgeted slightly as they walked down the corridor. As per the current usual, Hermione remained mostly silent, only adding in a few comments as Harry and Ron made small talk. However, it wasn't simply because she was wary around Harry, that much is ridiculous, she thought, rather it was because she was deep in thought.

"Hey, Harry!" called a voice. Hermione snapped her attention towards the source of the voice, which came from a slightly panting Su Li. Noticing the Ravenclaw, Hermione resumed her train of thought. Su was the third person Hermione had persuaded to ask Harry to the Ball, under the promise of Hermione helping the Chinese girl with her Arithmancy notes.

Surely there was nothing nefarious about that? Hermione was simply trying to get her friend a date for the ball, someone who would be suitable for him of course. Silently, Hermione glanced at the Ravenclaw. Su was considered mildly pretty, though extremely outgoing. Her academic records were quite good, as was expected of a Ravenclaw student. However, Su was often scatter-brained, as Hermione noticed, and thus didn't have the most comprehensive of notes at her disposal. For this reason, the bookish Gryffindor decided that it would be mutually beneficial for them to strike a deal. Su asks Harry to the ball and Hermione helps her with some of the notes.

Unfortunately, it seemed that it was not to be. With a muted sigh, she watched as Harry attempt to graciously decline the raven-haired girl's offer as Su gave Hermione a look with a mixture of sadness and pointedness before she excused herself and walked away.

"That was strange" commented Harry as the trio made their way down the stairs. Ron nodded in agreement as Hermione spoke up.

"What was? Su is a pretty nice girl," Hermione said. Rona and Harry turned to the only girl in their group for a moment before Harry spoke.

"We've never spoken outside of class, then out of the blue she asks me to the dance. Kind of strange…" Harry gave a furtive look to Hermione as he said this, almost causing her to frown. So he was still suspicious of her… Oh well. She was doing this only for his own good.

"Still though, Su is a pretty good girl, why didn't you at least consider it?" Hermione pestered. Harry looked at her with the same look as he responded.

"I already have someone in mind" he said with a tone that suggested finality, in contrast with his earlier expression when speaking with Ron. Hermione frowned. Hopefully, he was talking about Cho and not Daphne. Really though, it shouldn't have been a surprise for Hermione. _"Since Harry had already refused even Ginny's invitation, of course he would refuse Su's one."_ Hermione though as she continued to walk in deep thought, pondering her next move as Ron and Harry continued their conversation.

"Hermione's right though, Harry, you should really get a move on or you'll be stuck with a troll." Harry frowned at him as he looked towards Hermione. However, the girl was unresponsive, still clearly deep in her own thoughts.

"A what?" Harry asked blankly.

"Well, you know," said Ron, shrugging. "If I were you, I'd probably rather go alone than with – Eloise Midgen, say." Harry frowned slightly as he cast another questioning look at Ron

"Her acne is horrible and her nose is off-centre," explained Ron. Harry's frown deepened.

"So you think I should ask the best looking girl, even if she if horrible?" asked Harry cautiously as he threw another look backwards towards Hermione. Around the corridor, some people had begun to take note of the conversation between the trio, most particularly many of the girls who had now begun to send dirty looks in Ron's direction.

"Er – yeah, that sounds about right," said Ron after a few moments. Harry nodded and decided to change the topic. He idly wondered why he felt so irritated at Ron's remarks but chose to file it away for later.

"Alright, anyways. So, ready for our Potions test…"

* * *

" _Giggling should be made illegal"_

That was one of the tamer (and coherent) thoughts that permeated through Harry's mind as he led Cho Chang from Classroom 3A away from her friends' earshot. Trying to walk straight, he decided to consciously begin to regulate his breathing, using the meditative breathing technique that Daphne had taught him. Cho was looking curiously at him as he felt his nerves calm slightly.

"Er" he said. In that instant, he wanted to curse himself. Where was that vaunted Gryffindor courage when he needed it?! Cho looked curiously at him as he cleared his throat and started again.

"Want go ball with me?" he asked spluttering. He felt himself go completely red. Cho's eyes widened dramatically.

"Oh!" said Cho, and she went red as well. "Oh Harry, I'm really sorry," as she cast her eyes downwards. "I've already said I'll go with someone else."

"Oh," said Harry blankly. It was a strange feeling. Moments before, he felt like his stomach was going to explode, his arms and legs shaking like leaves on a tree. Now he just felt hollow. Struggling to speak, he continued.

"Oh okay," he said, "no problem."

"I'm really sorry," she said again. Her expression remained unchanged, though Harry couldn't see it

"That's okay," said Harry in an attempted reassuring manner.

They stood there looking at each other for a few moments, both of them as red as Harry's necktie. Coughing slightly, Cho said, "Well –"

"Yeah," replied Harry, as if he were simulating the beat of a rhythm.

"Well, 'bye," said Cho, still very red as she began to walk back to her friends.

Harry stared right back at her for a few moments. He desperately tried to control his own emotions a torrent of embarrassment washing over him. For an instant, his concentration wavered and he was about to speak when he heard one of Cho's friend's speak.

"So what did Potter want?" she asked, tossing her hair back. Cho mumbled something incoherent but was apparently loud enough for the entire group to hear. They stopped as one as they stared wide-eyed at the lone Gryffindor, who was desperately trying to make himself invisible.

"That's –" said another girl, who apparently recovered quickest. The corridor was silent momentarily as neither party made a move.

"Well then … Oh yes Cho," said the second girl, "Cedric said to meet him in classroom 6D for your dancing practise. Like a movie being unpaused, the entire group seemed to reanimate as the subject was changed. Once again, they moved down the stairs to dinner.

Meanwhile, back in the corridor, Harry was now plagued with another problem. _"Not only do I need a partner but I need practise too! How could I have forgotten!"_ he screamed mentally. A loud sound rumbled from within his stomach. With another gasp of horror, he realized that dinner was about to start and rushed down the stairs towards the Great Hall.

* * *

 _Location: Great Hall_

Daphne was quietly finishing a serving of ham as she looked around the Slytherin table. Across from her, Theo and Sophie were sat together in silence as they finished their meals, not an uncommon occurrence for the usually reserved pair. A few seats away, Blaise Zabini was bragging to anyone who listened about how many girls had asked him to the ball, an action which had caused numerous girls to send dirty looks in his direction.

Curiously, Pansy and Draco were not seated next to each other, as the Malfoy heir was flanked by Crabbe and Goyle on either side as the Parkinson heir sat next to Crabbe. Even curiouser was the fact that Parkinson seemed to be intermittently looking pleadingly at the stone faced Draco and glaring virulently at a smug looking Astoria. Daphne gave a questioning look at the scene. Since the incident in the common room Daphne had stoutly refused to speak to her sister out of pride, not that she would admit it to anyone. She felt a poke from her side from Tracey, who was gesturing towards one of the side doors.

"Daph, look its Potter." Indeed, it was. Harry Potter had just burst through one of the side entrances into the Great Hall, late it seemed. From a distance, it was difficult to see his exact facial expression, but a quick scrying charm allowed Daphne to see that he was red and panting slightly.

"He looks sad," commented Tracey thoughtfully. Daphne looked critically at the Potter boy but didn't notice anything else. "Maybe he just got rejected?" continued Tracey in a lower voice.

Daphne held back a laugh. "Harry Potter getting rejected? Malfoy would have a party!" A chuckle escapes her.

"You should ask him"

At that, Daphne looked in shock at her best friend, who was giving her an uncharacteristically contemplative look.

"What?" Daphne replied blankly.

Tracey gave her a look. "What? It's not like you are going with someone else? Plus, it'd look bad if the heiress to House Greengrass showed up without a date." Daphne shot the brunette a look in response.

"And you?" Daphne retorted, trying to stave off the attention. However, her efforts were futile, as Tracey tilted her head to one side.

"I've got a date already."

The abruptness of the statement surprised Daphne, causing her emotions to be shown rather clearly on her face. Though, after a second thought, it wasn't that much of a stretch. Tracey was a nice girl, quite pretty too if she said so herself. It had often made Daphne wonder why her best friend was seemingly never asked to Hogsmeade by others. Tracey noticed her friend's detached state and decided to go for an ultimatum.

"If you don't ask Harry, I'll set you up with Cornfoot or Entwhistle."

That did the trick as Daphne was unceremoniously ejected from her mindscape, a look of pure shock and horror marring her expression. A cheeky grin adorned Tracey's face in rebuttal.

"What! … you're bluffing." Daphne said challengingly. Tracey frowned but looked over the table.

'Hey, Sophie! Are Stephen Cornfoot or Kevin Entwhistle going with anyone?" she asked. Sophie looked up from her meal and quickly gave a swift shake of her head. Victorious, Tracey smirked at Daphne. The blonde looked unamused at the raven-haired information broker, whose look had turned contemplative. Noticing that something was going to happen, Theo paused his eating and watched the girls with interest. After a while, Sophie spoke up.

"I'm sure Potter would love to go with you." A devilish smirk crossed Sophie's face. "I'll add onto Davis's ultimatum. If you don't ask Potter, I'll drop off a hint to Cornfoot or Entwhistle about a certain word beginning with Q, and set either of them up with you." A smirk adorned Sophie's face as she said this, enjoying the rapidly flushing Daphne's face.

Daphne spluttered as she felt her face redden. Tracey arched an eyebrow and Daphne's shoulders sagged as she figured out no way out of her predicament.

"Fine … I'll ask after this…" she muttered incoherently, giving an ice-cold glare at the Sophie. Theo shot the raven-haired girl a look but decided not to comment. A still red Daphne sat still, thoroughly embarrassed by what she seemingly had to do. She looked at her best friend again. This morning she seemed morose and unwilling to eat, now she was back to her usual, almost too cheerful self.

"Who're you going with?" asked Daphne as she began to carry on her meal slowly.

"You'll find out soon enough" replied Tracey in a sing-song voice. Daphne frowned.

"Is it Weasley?"

"Nope, I'm not going with Ron." Tracey replied. Daphne was stumped by now. Deciding to cut her losses, the blonde heiress went back to her meal as she contemplated how to do the impossible.

* * *

"How did it go?" Ron asked as Harry walked over. An instant later, he was elbowed in the ribs by Hermione, who was furiously shaking her head. Ron looked curiously at his ball date but shrugged. Harry gave the pair a blank look as he sat down in silence, picking up a slice of ham and beginning to eat. An awkward silence passed as the trio sat eating.

Hermione frowned as she watched Harry's quiet and obviously detached eating speed. While he was definitely far more well-mannered at a dinner table than Ron, Harry was nonetheless no slouch at eating quickly. A mental curse flew through Hermione's head. _"So Cho rejected him… that's troubling."_ It wouldn't be long before her blonde rival would intervene, Hermione thought. From her overhearing of Lavender and Parvati's conversations, it appeared that the Greengrass heiress had refused all her suitors.

" _Probably so that she can sink her claws into poor Harry"_ Hermione thought, sending an irritated glare at the Slytherin table. Unable to locate Daphne's signature hair style, Hermione instead decided to reach over to a person across the table.

"Hey, Parvati…" she said, beckoning to her Indian friend. The girl in question paused from her eating, slightly confused but began engaging Hermione in a conversation.

Beside her, Ron was jovially munching on a side of chicken as Harry mulled over his predicament. The Ball was only nine days away and he had neither a partner nor any idea how to dance. A quick glance at his right told him that Ron would be of no help to him in this. After all, he probably didn't know how to dance either. Hermione would have to spend lots of time helping Ron, so she wouldn't be able to help either.

A groan erupted from the frustrated Gryffindor as he tried to consider his options. From his dorm, Neville and Seamus were back in the hospital wing for a mishap during the Potions test. Somehow, the anti-venom potion that they had to brew had become a veritable explosive in Neville's hands, detonating and injuring Neville and Seamus, who was working next to the blond. Their last roommate, Dean, was raised by a muggle, thus probably had no idea how to dance a wizard's dance.

The girls wouldn't be much help either. He barely knew any of them by name and had in fact angered a _Kellah_ Runcorn when he had mistakenly called her 'Kelly' by accident. Lavender and Parvati were far too giggly to his liking and Fay seemed to dislike him or something, as the girl always seemed to make up an excuse to leave when the two of them were about to be alone in a room.

From the males of other houses, he only really talked to Justin and Ernie, and even then only sparingly. Justin was a muggle born and thus probably wouldn't be much help. On the other hand, as Ernie came from a prestigious family, he would have been help but seemed to currently be quite miffed about Harry's participation in the tournament, thus probably wouldn't be much help to him either.

That essentially left him with one option, the one he was almost dreading. Daphne had barely talked to him over the past few weeks, keeping the cold façade that she had up whenever they met. It had gotten even worse about two weeks ago and the Greengrass heir seemed to be avoiding him almost entirely. Harry was completely confused by Daphne's actions and attitude. In the past few months, she had gone from trying to befriend him, to staying away, to forcing herself upon him to help him to staying away again.

Another groan escaped Harry as his mind began to hurt as he failed to understand the blonde heiress. _"I might as well ask regardless…"_

Dinner could not have passed any quicker for Harry and Daphne, as time seemed to fly by. Harry was midway through eating some pudding when the food on the tables suddenly vanished. A surprised look was etched onto his face as he looked hurriedly at the Slytherin Table. Quietly, the students around them dispersed, heading off to their nightly activities. Hermione had already long since dragged Ron off to the library for some project or another, leaving the Gryffindor Golden boy feeling alone on the meal table.

On the other side of the table, Daphne was in a similar predicament. Sophie and Theo had seemingly vanished sometime during the meal while Tracey had slinked away, winking at Daphne as she walked off back to the common room to finish up 'homework'. A quick glance towards to the Gryffindor table told her that the Potter boy was strangely alone on the table, the only other fourth year seemed to be the Patil girl. Harry and Daphne's gazes met for an instant as they rose from their seats.

Staggering from fear, Harry walked slowly in Daphne's direction. The blonde paused in her steps. Her mind quickly grasping the situation, she quickly gestured outside and began a brisk walk towards the great oak doors that barricaded the Great Hall from the entrance hall. Harry paused, looking confused but nonetheless followed her out of the room.

Daphne breathed a sigh of relief as she noticed the boy follow in her footsteps. That was good. Now she could talk to him in the vacant entrance hall, hopefully he would agree. She glanced back at the boy behind her and had to muffle a sigh. How ungraceful could he be? His shoulders were sagged, his feet barely lifted from the floor and his face no different. The heiress to House Greengrass pursed her lips. With another step, she walked out of the Great Hall.

And was greeted by a massive congregation of students at the front of the castle. Daphne's jaw began to drop in shock but barely managed to keep herself composed. However, her sudden stop caused the downwards looking Harry to crash headfirst into her, knocking her off her feet with an "Oof".

Many of the faces in the hall turned to look. Red filled Daphne's almost porcelain face as she glared embarrassedly at the nervous boy behind her. A mumbled apology ensued as Daphne dusted herself off. Beginning to feel nervous at all the people around her, Daphne decided to walk to a different location to talk.

"Um… So what did you want to talk about?"

Daphne glanced at him in surprise. Apparently, Harry either didn't notice or care about the people around them. Couldn't he read the situation? Wasn't it obvious that she wanted to talk in private to him and that saying something now would make it impossible for them to do so? These thoughts flashed through Daphne's mind as she unconsciously bit her lip. Harry looked nervously at her.

Around the pair, the gathered students began trading whispers, wondering why the two fourth-years were currently staring at each other. The crowd had just witnessed an epic Gobstones match between a couple of Durmstrang delegates and Hogwarts students. While the current 'action' seemed far less intense, it was no less interesting.

Realizing that she had no way out of her situation, Daphne bit the bullet.

"Potter."

"Da– Greengrass?" Harry replied, quickly changing his words at her glare.

"I, Daphne, heiress presumptive to the Noble and Ancient House of Greengrass formally invite you to escort me to the Yule Ball." Daphne said, using the most formal tone she could muster. Harry looked curiously at the girl, who was furiously glaring at him to reply quickly, or else face public humiliation … and Daphne's private displeasure. Harry gulped as he quickly cycled through his memories of what Daphne had once taught him about this type of situation.

"Um… err…. I, Harry of House … wait no, hang on… Harry of Family Potter graciously accept your invitation." Harry replied, stumbling through the acceptance words which the heiress had once taught him months ago. His eyes couldn't meet hers as he was blushing even more profusely that her. Daphne fought the urge to palm her face for fear of further embarrassment as she swiftly replied.

"Very well, you shall accompany me to the village tomorrow, is that suitable for your schedule?" Daphne asked. The whispers around them were beginning to multiply, as did the redness of Daphne's face. Harry seemed to be equally fazed as he nodded rigidly. Her heart beating five times its normal speed, Daphne adjourned their 'meeting' and quickly rushed down the Dungeon stairs, leaving a confused and awkward Harry Potter in the entrance hall.

" _I was just looking for dancing lessons…"_ he thought as he looked around at the incredulous crowd around him. _"Well this is going to be troublesome."_

* * *

 _ **Next Time: A Date to Remember**_


	14. Chapter 14 - A Date to Remember

_Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, JK Rowling does_

" _Text"_ – Thoughts

" **Text"** – Spellcast

" _Text"_ – Non-English words

* * *

 _ **Chapter 14 – A Date to Remember**_

 _Date: Saturday 17_ _th_ _December, 1994_

Never in her life was Daphne so glad that the Slytherin dormitories were private to each student and only allowed those who the owner wished in. If it were like the foolish Gryffindor dorms, or Morgana forbid the insane Hufflepuff ones, Daphne would have probably died from embarrassment hours ago. She could see it now. A hysterical mocking laughter filled her ears as she desperately tried to dive into a corner and be swallowed up by the castle walls. The mere thought of it sent shivers down her spine.

"Cheer up Daph," said Tracey from the other side of her room. Daphne looked incredulously at the nonchalantly reading brunette. Tracey's 180° change in attitude had surprised not only Daphne but everyone else in their year. Pansy had tried countless ways to falter the brunette once more but it seemed that nobody could drag her down.

A low moan came from Daphne as she leaned back onto her bed as she fought the urge to cry out louder. This was too much for the Davis girl, who began chuckling at her friend's expense. Daphne shot her a dirty look but it was ignored.

"Seriously though," said Tracey after a while, "You are going on a date with probably the most eligible bachelor of our generation, stop complaining." Daphne huffed.

"It's not a date, we are just going to make sure Potter has something to wear next Sunday. Knowing him, he probably brought something resembling one of those pieces of muggle formal wear your father usually wears…" Daphne's irritated mutter caused Tracey to frown.

"Suits look nice," she said plainly. "Plus, those dress robes get quite stuffy, even up here." Daphne tutted but didn't rebut.

"Regardless, Potter and I are simply going to Hogsmeade for obligation, not some inane date." Tracey shrugged at her friend's casual dismissal.

"Bet you that Potter thinks it's a date."

Daphne laughed. "Please, Potter wouldn't recognize a date even if it hit him in the backside with one of Dumbledore's giant hats, let alone plan one." Daphne's voice rang with mirth and arrogance as she tossed her hair backwards with her usual flair.

Tracey looked appraisingly at her best friend but went back to reading. A curious look wandered through Daphne's face as she looked at Tracey.

"Don't you need to get something that matches your mysterious date's clothes?" Daphne asked. Tracey shook her head but her eyes never left her page.

"He said he has something that should fit with anything I wear, so I should be fine." Daphne frowned, which Tracey saw in her peripheral vision. "Don't worry, unless something unexpected comes up, I should be fine." Tracey said dismissively. Daphne groaned at her situation, causing Tracey to laugh out.

"Relax, Daph, you're being too paranoid," Tracey said gently, "Don't be like that Bat guy from those comics my uncle reads, nothing is going to happen to you on your date."

"It's not a date!"

* * *

 _Location: Gryffindor Common Room_

"It's not a date!" protested Harry as he was rapidly questioned by Lee Jordan, a conversation that was being listened to by the rest of Gryffindor house, much to his chagrin. Ron stood sat next to him, awkwardly watching as his best friend was being interrogated. Strangely, Hermione seemed to not be present in the room.

"So, you are taking a girl to Hogsmeade in preparation for _dancing_ and the Yule Ball! Sounds like a date to me" summarised George as he shared a knowing nod with his twin and Lee. Harry blushed profusely.

"Daphne and I aren't like that." Harry muttered. This drew gasps of shock amongst many of the people in the room.

"Already on first name basis –" began Fred

"They grow up so fast" finished George, sharing a faux cry of happiness with his friends. Those who were watching drew even closer to the now maroon colored Harry Potter, wanting to hear more. Almost everyone here had heard countless stories of the Frost Queen of Slytherin, it was no small wonder why everyone was interested to hear the tale of how their champion had seemingly unfrozen her frozen heart.

"Actually, only Harry calls her that, Greengrass still calls him Potter" explained Ron, trying to help out. If the past few weeks had taught him anything, it was that he hadn't been much of a good friend to Harry. Ron had figured out that Harry needed his support now more than ever, with the tournament and almost everyone either out of reach to help him or simply against him. Knowing this, Ron tried to help his best friend as much as he could when he could.

"Regardless, great work bagging one of the hottest birds in this school," said Dean Thomas, patting Harry on the back. At his touch, Harry froze in embarrassment. Breakfast hadn't even begun and he was already wishing to escape from his predicament. Once again, he looked around the room, hoping for a way out of his current situation. He needed a distraction, fast.

Suddenly, the painting of the Fat Lady swung open as Professor McGonagall strode in. Taking the chance, Harry took out his invisibility cloak and draped it over his and Ron's heads as Professor McGonagall was lecturing the students on the noise that they had been making so early in the morning. Ron grunted as the two of them hopped over the chair they were sat it, sneaking off when everyone's' attention was on their Head of House. They snuck right next to the aged witch, who quickly finished her lecture and turned to exit the room. Harry and Ron quickly ran out behind her. After descending a few floors down, the pair took off the cloak, panting into the cool December air.

"It's a good thing you've been carrying the cloak on you, I dunno how else we could escape" said Ron after a while.

"Daphne kinda told me to, something about using our resources or something. Never realized how handy this thing is" replied Harry, smiling weakly. It seemed so long ago when Daphne was teaching Harry about pureblood customs. He couldn't really remember when it was, but Daphne had once questioned him on why he didn't carry the cloak with him more often. After a while of prodding, the boy finally relented and never looked back since.

"Well, let's go down to breakfast," said Ron "Wouldn't want to miss it!" he said grinning wolfishly. Harry chuckled at his friend's antics. Perhaps the 'date' wouldn't be so bad. After all, Ron would be beside him at all times, right?

* * *

 _Location: Road between Hogwarts castle and Hogsmeade village_

"…"

A vastly awkward silence filled the cramped carriage as Harry stared sideways out of the window. As it was still morning, the warm sunlight reflected off the glistening snow, forming a radiant effect that illuminated the carriages as they rolled down the hill. Before them was the quaint village of Hogsmeade, far smaller than the comparatively bustling Diagon Alley but far homelier than its counterpart. The village itself was a little some ways from its train station, overlooking the azure water surface of the Great Lake that stretched from the edge of the village all the way to the castle.

However, as serene as the view seemed to be, the inside of the carriage was a completely different matter. Harry's head was almost completely facing the window, looking out blankly at the tranquil scenery. Adjacent to him, a mop of ginger hair faced downwards at the occupant's feet, determined to not move from its current position. Tracey sat in front of Ron, her posture mirroring Harry's somewhat, but while Harry sat rigidly, Tracey seemed slightly more relaxed, though still far more on edge than usual. Lastly, sat Daphne, her arms folded neatly at her lap and her eyes pointing directly forwards. If one looked closer, it became apparent that a sort of cold fury lay amongst those chocolate brown orbs, her gaze boring into the boy in front of her, as though she wished that he would disappear if she looked hard enough.

The fifteen-minute ride seemed to stretch for hours as tension between the quartet seemed to thicken as each second passed. No-one was willing to say a word. When the carriage door finally opened, Ron seemed to spring to life, like a man resurrected from the dead as he leapt out of the carriage in one single jump. Tracey got off much less exuberantly, helping Daphne off the carriage as well. Finally, Harry stumbled off the carriage, landing in a ungainly heap as he had lost all strength in his legs.

Seeing her 'date' in such an undignified manner, Daphne fought the urge to palm her face as she felt a rush of blood to her face in embarrassment. A mumbled apology was murmured, the first words that any of them had spoken in the past few minutes.

"Well," Daphne said, trying to hide her flushed face, "We best get going. Come now, Potter." And so, she led the equally embarrassed Harry towards the village proper, leaving Tracey and Ron in their haste. Realizing that they were alone, Ron almost instantly bowed his head, to which Tracey looked curiously.

"Ron, it's fine," she said reassuringly. Ron's face drew a blank.

"Aren't you mad at me or something? Don't you need to yell at me?"

Tracey giggled slightly, drawing even more confusion from Ron. His clueless reaction just made the situation worse, as Tracey began full on guffawing, much to the redhead's confusion.

"It's alright, really." Tracey said, wiping a tear of mirth from her eye. Ron nodded, still not understanding the situation but decided to go along with it. He still didn't know why Tracey had been avoiding him for the past few weeks. Since she didn't seem to be mad at him, Ron had no idea what was going on.

"Well, let's follow them then, who knows what Daphne and Harry will get up to if we don't watch out for them" Tracey said brightly, breaking Ron out of his trance. Another nod signified his understanding and the pair followed their friends into the village.

As per usual, Hogsmeade was jam packed with students visiting each of the various stores that were around the village. However, due to the Durmstrang and Beauxbatons delegates also coming to the village at the same time, the place was twice as jam packed as usual, though fortunately with magic this was not much of an issue.

Daphne and Harry made their way through the bustling street, drawing the attention of many of the other students that were present. Many had heard the rumors about them but had disbelieved them (the Hogwarts rumor mill was known for its exaggeration). However, their appearance together seemed to confirm that particularly outlandish piece of gossip.

Daphne became increasingly conscious of the mutterings that were sprouting as she walked around the village. Part of her wanted to tell them to stop talking and give her peace but she held herself back. Instead, she cast a furtive look at Harry to see how he was faring. To her surprise, the boy-who-lived appeared to be completely unaffected by the crowd, simply shuffling along (as inelegant as that was) as he had been.

"So, where're we headed to first?" he asked. Daphne looked around in surprise. While she had been leading him, she didn't really know what they were supposed to do. They had just finished breakfast, so food was out of the question. On the other hand, most magical tailors opened their stores in the afternoon, as they tended to work in the mornings. Of course, while they could have simply gone for a ready-made set of robes, Daphne's pride would not allow that. She was an heiress of a noble and ancient house! And her escort must dress the part as well!

Harry looked confusedly at the neutral faced blonde for a moment. A cool wintry gust blew past, causing the pair to shiver slightly.

"Should we go get a drink then?" Harry asked. Daphne looked ready to retort but another gust of wind blew by. Without a sound, she acquiesced and followed Harry into Three Broomsticks. As usual, the inn was crowded to the limit, though thankfully, temporary extension charms had been cast to facilitate the influx of customers. Harry and Daphne walked over to a vacant table near the hearth and sat down, ordering two mugs of butterbeer from the spry Madam Rosmerta.

Harry nervously rubbed the back of his head as he glanced at Daphne. He was beginning to feel increasingly self-conscious about himself and his every action, mentally cursing himself for his nervous tic. Daphne kept her neutral face on, making Harry completely unable to know what she was thinking.

"Where's Granger?" the blonde asked rather bluntly

Harry flinched in surprise, almost toppling off his seat. Daphne blinked, her mask crinkling slightly but remained largely intact. Recomposing himself, Harry took a breath and started thinking. Strangely, he hadn't seen Hermione all morning, as she hadn't been present during his morning interrogation, nor was she present during the extended breakfast. A certain amount of worry set in within Harry. It hadn't occurred to him until now how deeply his 'feud' with the bushy haired girl had hurt him. They (along with Ron) were like siblings and, especially for the lonely Harry, family to one another. The arrival of the butterbeers shook Harry out of thought and he looked over to Daphne.

"Dunno, haven't seen her all morning."

Daphne pursed her lips momentarily before she took a mug and began slowly drinking its contents, savouring the familiar sweet and sticky texture of the drink. With a quick glance, Daphne looked around the room for people she recognized. Many people were looking in their direction, to be expected of course, but few that she actually knew. Tracey and Weasley were sitting on a table nearby, an odd couple, and oh, they were just joined by Thomas and MacDougal. Granger still seemed to be missing though, which slightly troubled Daphne. Daphne never thought that Granger was particularly stealthy, especially because she was in Gryffindor, but so where could she be? Frowning, Daphne decided to forgo this issue. Granger wasn't worth her expending brain power on.

Another silence formed as the unlikely pair drank their drinks. Daphne had no intention of talking with Potter any more than necessary. However, the awkwardness that seemed to form around them was becoming unbearable. Potter seemed to mirror this thought, if his nervously shaking visage was anything to go by. The crowd around them watched, like a multi-headed hydra, observing, judging them. Daphne could almost hear their thoughts and it began to build up inside her. Soon, it became too much for her.

"How is life?" she bluntly asked. Immediately, she covered her mouth in shock at her unladylike speech. Harry looked surprised at Daphne, causing her face to tint red slightly. Spluttering slightly, Daphne elaborated.

"How have your studies been, I trust you are well?" Daphne said, her voice wavering slightly. Harry blinked twice in quick succession as he attempted to answer.

"Err … well," he started, "We share most subjects, so… I guess I'll talk about Divination and Care then." Relieved, Daphne simply nodded to get Harry to continue.

"Divination is kind of boring, Trelawney keeps predicting I'll die almost every lesson… Care is quite interesting, Hagrid is a nice teacher but the creatures are sometimes kind of dangerous." Daphne nodded as she sipped on her drink, biting back a few comments she wanted to make. Daphne frowned at the small amount of information she was given but began to think. She regarded Divination to be almost complete hogwash and anyone practicing it to either be fraudulent or simply deluded. Sybil Trelawney her prime example, both a fraud (most of the time) or deluded (always).

As for Care of Magical Creatures, Daphne was apprehensive, though far less so. As the lesson was taught by a rumoured half-giant, her father had forbidden her from taking the class. From Tracey's numerous stories, it seemed that the class was interesting at times but often far more dangerous than it should be. A hippogriff on their first lesson?! That was just begging for trouble.

" _Regardless, it wouldn't do to insult one of Harry's precious friends right now,"_ Daphne thought as she sipped on her mug. She had learnt her lesson last time, and as the heiress to House Greengrass, she knew better than to make the same mistake twice. Potter gave her a searching look, to which she suddenly started, having realized that she had been sipping on an empty mug for a while now. Her face reddening again, she coughed, turning towards the boy.

"My studies have been adequate as well," she began, defaulting into her 'reporting' tone "As you know, my electives are the Study of Arithmancy and the Study of Ancient Runes. The Arithmancy professor, Professor Vector, is a very good arithmancer but only an adequate teacher at best. Our lessons progress at a dawdling pace but are nonetheless informative. Currently, we are studying the properties of the transcendental number π and…"

By now, Harry had begun to lose track of what the blonde was saying as she rambled on about Greek letters or something. It wasn't unlike some of the lectures she had given him during their 'classes' together but this time he had almost no idea what she was talking about. Daphne continued for a short while before she stopped speaking. Harry broke out of his stupor as Daphne ordered another round of drinks for the pair.

Taking the opportunity, Harry looked around the bar. A few tables away, Ron seemed to be looking curiously at what seemed to be a mop of brown hair which after some closer inspection appeared to be Tracey. Dean was sitting with a girl he barely recognized, Mildred Macdonald or something? Another sweep of the room told him that he didn't recognize anyone else. With a clash, Madam Rosmerta brought the mugs of butterbeer to Harry and Daphne and the latter took a sip before starting her monologue once more.

"As for Ancient Runes, Professor Babbling, the teacher, is equally accomplished, though her methods of teaching are far more suited to a student of my calibre. We are currently at work with the study of Nordic Runes which are chronologically the first type of runes…"

Quite aptly, Daphne began babbling about her forays into the study of ancient runes, leaving a mystified Harry looking cluelessly at her once more. It wasn't that he was ignorant or unwilling to learn, rather that it was Daphne's inability to communicate effectively to Harry that left him confused. At least with the etiquette 'lessons' Harry had a book to help him out but now he was just a man lost in a sea of words.

And so their 'conversation' continued, with Harry listening to detailed (though not particularly comprehensive) reports about each subjects that Daphne took. Eventually, the conversation proceeded until lunch, where the pair ordered some food to eat. In turn, the chat had moved towards Harry's progress with pure-blood customs.

"Have you been keeping with the materials I lent you?" Daphne said, finally stopping to eat a bite. Harry broke out of his stupor once more, having almost dozed off as Daphne's garrulous nature spontaneously emerged. He shook his head to get rid of traces of sleepiness as he wondered what brought this upon the usually relatively quiet and reserved heiress.

Meanwhile, Daphne had begun to calm down from her multiple monologues. She even surprised herself with how long she had talked. It was an annoying trait that she had rubbed off Tracey, the ability to (unconsciously) talk for extremely extended periods of time. _"Why is this back again?!"_ she thought, wondering if her occlumency shields were faltering. Making a mental note to get her father to check over them, she turned back to the boy in front of her.

"Er…" Harry said, trying to think of a way around saying that he had completely forgone his 'studies'. Hey, it wasn't his fault! He had other school work, plus the tournament to consider. How could he keep up?

"You haven't done anything have you, Potter?" replied Daphne in deadpan. "You really have to keep up with work, sloth is a sin"

"Hey, I have lots of school work" Harry protested. "Also all the tournament business keeps me busy. I don't have time for more work."

Daphne frowned as she answered. "Cease with the excuses, Potter. I know for a fact that Granger, Li a few others take three electives for instance, which would be a far higher workload than what you would have to endure. As for the tournament business, I know you haven't done anything about it for the last few weeks. In any case, we are at the Christmas holidays, a perfect time to catch up with and extend your learning."

Harry groaned soundly at her words, causing Daphne's frown to deepen. Their food arrived, stopping their conversation as they got to eating.

* * *

 _Location: Gladrags Wizardwear_

"Good Afterno– Oh! Young Lady Greengrass, it is a pleasure to have you grace my humble store," said a motherly voice.

"It is always a pleasure, Madam Capulet," Daphne replied with a curtsey. A furtive glare was thrown in Harry's direction which signalled him to follow in Daphne's footsteps and bowed awkwardly. The two had just walked into Gladrags Wizardwear, a small outpost of the chain store that had branches in many notable cities in Europe, including Diagon Alley in London, Horizont Alley is Paris and Vertik Alley in Moscow.

"And who might this fine young gentleman be?" asked a curious Madam Capulet. Harry tilted his head forward, causing the elderly woman to step back in surprise. "Mister Potter! It is a surprise to see you with Lady Greengrass…" her voice trailed off.

Harry began to nervously chuckle until he was silenced by a glare from Daphne. "It is far simpler than you'd think. Potter is in need of a partner and a set of dress robes for the Yule Ball, I am simply here to help him with both." Daphne explained. Lady Capulet nodded understandingly as she guided the pair to a rack. On it hung light blue robes which looked remarkably similar to those that Harry had to wear at school usually. He looked through the robes curiously as Daphne and Madam Capulet engaged in conversation, walking around the store as they quickly exchanged muffled whispers. Harry could barely hear what they were talking about, only words such as "material", "measurements" and "fitting" stood out as particularly important. Harry had barely any idea what they were talking about and was getting increasingly confused in why he had to get new robes. What was wrong with the ones he had?

Suddenly, Daphne and Madam Capulet snapped their attention right back at him.

"Potter, come here, please" Daphne said from another part of the store. Harry looked over and saw her standing next to another rack of robes, which looked almost identical to the ones he was currently standing next to. His curious expression must have annoyed Daphne, because she began to frown, saying "Now, please".

Shrugging, Harry walked over to the rack and was offered a set of robes. To Harry, there was absolutely no difference between these robes and the ones he wore for school, except for the color of course. Regardless, he shrugged off his heavy coat and tried on the light blue robes. With his newly worn apparel, he stood awkwardly as Daphne and Madam Capulet scrutinized him critically before breaking into another round of whispered conversation. Without warning, Madam Capulet walked over to yet another set of light blue robes and called Daphne over, who in turn called Harry to try on the robes.

 _A few hours later…_

An exhausted Harry flopped down on a couch to rest. Nearby, Daphne continued to argue with the store's owner, who to Harry's surprise was equally if not more enthusiastic about the conversation. The sun had already begun to set, it's tangential rays shining the striking orange color that it always did. Over the past few hours, many students had come and gone from the shop, many of them greeting Harry and Daphne at some point. A yawn escaped Harry's lips as he realized how long he had been staying in the establishment.

The process had repeated countless times, thankfully hastened by liberal usage of the **Clothes Animating Spell** , courtesy of Madam Capulet. Still though, Harry felt like he had been trapped inside the store for decades now. He threw an irritated look at his blonde 'companion', who was now pointing at yet another rack of black colored robes, which looked identical to his school robes. Letting out a groan, he forced himself to not make another comment. Last time he spoke, Madam Capulet almost threw him out of the store when he had asked about robes that resembled fancy clothes he had once seen Uncle Vernon (unsuccessfully) try on in preparation for a party of some sort. Daphne had chided him for it, so he reluctantly acquiesced.

"Potter, this should be the last one, come here and try it please" Daphne called once more. Harry couldn't help but groan out, drawing looks from the store's occupants. It wasn't his fault, Daphne had first said this about an hour and a half ago, and multiple times since. In his boredom, he dragged his feet, shuffling awkwardly like a zombie as he walked over to Daphne's location for another monotonous fitting session.

"Ah hah! Eureka!" exclaimed Daphne. Madam Capulet nodded in junction as Harry looked curiously at the robes he was wearing. Upon his closer inspection, he felt that the robes felt marginally lighter than his school ones but otherwise felt almost identical. It was made of the color of fire and the fabric seemed far smoother than the rough cloth his school robes were made out of. As Harry pulled on the sleeves of the robes, a flurry of activity occurred in front of him as the women negotiated the price of the apparel. A sudden whoosh of fabric exchanged Harry's newly bought robes with the clothes he was wearing when he had first arrived in the store. A few moments later, he found himself outside Gladrags, watching the peaceful snow fall as Daphne poked his side.

"Come on, Potter, we have to get back to the castle, it's almost dinnertime."

Harry grumbled a little but followed her without speaking. He had wanted to go check up on Sirius, who was apparently hiding inside a nearby cave, or investigate the strange feeling of being watched that he had been having since a while after he had entered the store but both plans were now cancelled. Of course, Daphne didn't know, or rather couldn't know, about either.

The pair made their way back to the centre of the village, greeted by a joyous Hagrid, waiting in front of an empty carriage. Ron and Tracey had already left the village, Harry knew this because they had popped into Gladrags for a brief period of time, providing Harry with some amusement for the infinitesimally short ten minutes that they stayed.

"Harry! Good to see yeh!" boomed Hagrid. Harry couldn't help but smile, his first ever friend patting him on the back. Daphne gave the large man a small smile, to which Hagrid looked curiously at Harry.

"Is this the Ms Greengrass I've been 'earing about?" Hagrid asked curiously. Harry nodded as Daphne introduced herself.

"A pleasure to meet you, Professor Hagrid. I am Daphne, Scion and Heiress apparent to the Noble and Ancient House of Greengrass," she said dipping slightly into the snow. Harry smiled widely at the interaction, as did Hagrid.

"Well, we must be off now," said Daphne "We cannot afford to be late." Hagrid nodded and opened the door to the carriage, allowing Harry and Daphne to get in. Closing the door behind them, the large man walked forward, holding his hand out. Seemingly slapping thin air, he shouted "Go!", causing the carriage to suddenly lurch forward, rolling its way back to the castle. Exhausted and not in the mood to speak, Harry and Daphne sat on either side of the carriage, staring out opposite windows as they travelled up the mountain. By now, the waning sun had dipped below the horizon, the stars above them coming to focus.

Before long, the carriage reached a stop in front of the castle gates, prompting Harry and Daphne to get off. This time, Harry was far more prepared, hopping off without toppling over. He took a few steps forward but was stopped by an annoyed grunt sounded from inside the carriage.

"Sorry, Da– Greengrass," Harry said apologetically as he helped the girl off the carriage. Daphne looked critically at Harry for a moment.

"Well, I must return to my chambers to prepare for dinner. We shall reconvene tomorrow for dancing practise in the usual room. Goodbye," Daphne said as she walked off. Harry returned to words of parting as he turned and walked into Gryffindor tower, passing a sneering Argus Filch, cleaning away the melted snow, as Harry made his way up to Gryffindor tower, carrying the shrunken clothes inside a pocket of his cloak.

It took a while longer than usual to get to the common room, mainly due to Harry's exhaustion, when he finally made it inside, he quickly collapsed onto a nearby couch face first. In a few moments, he could have probably dozed off but he was prevented from doing so by an unfamiliar voice.

"Ah, Potter, back now I see!" exclaimed an overly-energetic voice. Harry turned over to see that the voice came from an older boy who he had seen in passing but never spoken to. A large, wire-haired youth stared back at him, grinning as he slapped Harry in the back.

"My name's Cormac McLaggen, of course you have heard of me," he said, shaking the drowsy Harry's hand. "Heir to the Cleansweep Broom Company as you undoubtedly know." The boy's big-headed nature was beginning to irritate Harry, whose patience had already run thin from the day he had been having.

"What do you want?" he asked, throwing the larger boy off his boasts. Coughing slightly, Cormac continued. "I just wanted to congratulate you on scoring a date with the Greengrass heir! A very good-looking one she is!" Cormac laughed a little too loudly, causing the room's other occupants to cheer. Harry pursed his lips but didn't comment, even though his irritancy at the older boy was beginning to increase. Cormac then leaned in uncomfortably close to Harry, almost causing him to flinch back.

"But between you and me, I think you should have picked someone else. Do you really want to be stuck with a snake your whole time?" At these words, Harry's patience ran out. With a surprisingly strong shove, he pushed the Cormac off him, causing the blond to cartwheel into the adjacent wall. All the mutterings that had been going on since last night, coupled with the lack of patience and irritation that Harry currently felt merged into a single ugly incarnation of rage boiling over his limits. He stood up, towering over the shocked (and secretly frightened) Cormac.

"Alright! I have had enough of this!" he shouted angrily. All conversations stopped in the room, everyone's attention firmly on the last Potter. Harry's eyes were filled with an uncharacteristic anger, an expression that only his closest friends and greatest enemies had seen in full force.

"Ever since last night, you people have been bad-mouthing my friend, Daphne Greengrass! Yes, I know she is in Slytherin but does that matter?!" As Harry was standing, his voice was projected to the entire room. Many of the younger year students had fallen in surprise and fear. Even many of the upperclassmen were taken aback by the sudden outburst. From a certain angle, the fire at the hearth of the room cloaked Harry like a shroud of fire, growing larger at every angry word spoken. In future retellings of the tale, some say that the fire took the shape of an angry beast, a stag perhaps? Or even a phoenix? A Griffin?

"I am sick and tired of all of you judging people without ever meeting them!" With these last words, the fire behind him roared loudly as the boy walked briskly back into his dorm, dinner forgotten, only wishing for the day to end.

The crowd remained stunned silent for a few moments, as if they were as one single entity holding their collective breaths, for fear that they would once again awaken the beast that had just thunderously appeared and disappeared from their common room. Despite the varied interpretations that each person had for the events that had just occurred, one thing was certain. Don't mess with the snakes, at least when Harry Potter was around, lest incite his wrath.

In a corner of the room, a frustrated Hermione watched as the crowd began to disperse down to the Great Hall for dinner. On a table near her, numerous books lay spread out with random pieces of paper strewn all over the rest of the table. On the center sheet the word 'contract' was written rather boldly in the middle of the sheet, with lines coming from it, joining the central word with many others. Another nearby sheet had the words 'potions or spell' written on it with a question mark next to it with barely fewer lines coming from it.

Hermione was hard at work, determined to figure out why and, most importantly, how the Greengrass heir had gotten control of her best friend and was going to do so as quickly as humanly possible.

* * *

 _Date: Unknown_

 _Location: Somewhere in Germany_

Time was a relative thing. To the countless population of insects, it is but a flash. One day they are alive and a short while later they cease to be. For larger animals, say a human or a whale, time seems to pass slowly at times, much too fast at others but altogether at a moderate, river-like pace. However, for Diagoldos, a dragon whom had lived almost three thousand years, time pretty much didn't move from her perspective, acting much more like mud rather than an infinitesimal flash or tranquill water.

The ancient dragon moved its aged head towards the opening of her current accommodations. It was supposed to be some sort of a window to keep air flowing. Unfortunately, due to the current thunderstorm outside, all it was doing was getting the old dragon wet.

"Grr…" she growled softly. Fortunately, no-one could hear her. The three brats were sound asleep, their annoyingly loud snorts causing a fiery cacophony which prevented the old Swedish-short snout from getting more rest. With a soft snort, she walked around her cage. Unlike the temporary prison that she had been confined to a few weeks ago, she and the brats were held in a rarely-used dragon shelter to wait out the surprisingly large storm that was currently in their path. An annoying setback for sure, Diagoldos didn't want to be kept with the far too noisy Gainought for any longer than necessary.

Suddenly, an orange lightning bolt forked through the window, slamming into the ground behind the large dragon. The suddenness of the event momentarily shocked her but she soon realized who the unexpected intruder was.

"Tho–" she rumbled but was interrupted by a cough.

"Diagoldos, it has been a while" came a gravelly, mildly accented Draconic voice. The silvery-blue dragon awkwardly turned around to face the source of the speech. Before her stood a tall, but human-sized being, cloaked in the shadows, his old yet grinning face illuminated by the brief flashes of lightning that struck every few minutes, his red cloak billowed as the winds gusted.

"I assume you are the cause for my current location?" growled the dragon. Her companion's reply was to simply turn towards the window, gazing as another orange bolt threw from the heavens down to earth.

"Courtesy of my father" he said, wistfully as he set a long object on the side of the wall. Diagoldos harrumphed.

"Why are you here, don't you have somewhere else to be?" she asked, the indifferent tone of her voice betrayed by her choice of words, "Like back in that house of hatchlings in the north?"

Her conversational partner smirked "Why, is my presence bothering you? _Frænirdottir_." At this, a roar of rage sounded as Diagoldos attempted to charge at the source of the voice. At this, three orbs of lightning suddenly burst into life, forming chains that binded themselves around the angry dragon, who thrashed against her binds futily.

"Your family was the one who killed him," she seethed. The other being in the room tutted.

"Distant. The reminder is what you get for being unaccommodating, old friend." The dragon huffed in an annoyed manner but stopped her writhing. Soon the electric chains dissipated and the man sat down.

"So why are you here?" Diagoldos asked after a while, "Simply to chide me for being bested by a hatchling human?" The man gave a short laugh, not unlike that of an old dragon. An unearthly sound filled the cave-like cell for a short duration.

"Humans are strong," he said "Don't underestimate them."

"You should know" she bit back causing the man to tilt his head.

"True." The pair sat down peacefully for a few minutes, basking in the thunderstorm and torrential rain that was brewing outside, a strange sense of tranquil filled the area momentarily.

"Apparently, a hatchling scared one of the brats using an image of the _Dread Biter_ ," Diagoldos said after a while. Her companion chuckled.

"I have an idea which," he replied. Another short silence reigned for a while as the pair looked pensively outside.

"Also, I'm have a hunch that one of the _Spiritors_ fought Azu," A small smile dawned on the man's face.

"Really? From what deduction?"

"The hatchling somehow blocked a _Ryusei–thing_ during the battle" the dragon said plainly. The man hummed.

"A Draco Meteor? That is impressive…" A noncommittal grunt replied to his words. With a sigh, he stood up.

"I suppose it is time to take my leave, it appears that there is a disruption I need to attend to" he said, walking over to the wall and picking up his stick. "My best regards to Lord Faugn and Lady Naga," Diagoldos huffed and turned away

"Another time then"

With this, the man seemingly transformed into an orange bolt. In a flash, he disappeared from the cave, leaving the silvery-blue dragon alone. Diagoldos yawned and was about to drift off to sleep when he noticed a rune on the ground where the man had stood. A flash of light erupted from the markings, the runestone spontaneously transforming into a black, comma-shaped rock with strange markings on its side. Although unreadable by human eyes, Diagoldos understood what was engraved immediately.

"Happy two-thousand seven-hundredth? If you mean that, stop raining on me on my birthday!" she roared towards the storm outside. The rain seemed to pause momentarily before coming down back in full force, returning with a set of twenty-seven lightning strikes on top of the dragon's cell.

* * *

 _Spells Used/Mentioned:_

 _Colvario – Color-Changing Charm_

 _Vestimenta Anima_ – Clothes Animating Spell

 _A/N: The next chapter is going to be a long one. Yay!_

 _ **Next Time: The Dance of Ice and Fire**_


	15. Chapter 15 - A Dance of Ice and Fire

" _Text"_ – Thoughts

" **Text"** – Spellcast

 _A/N: After almost a month, I finally update! Sorry it took so long, IB examinations means that hobbies have to be mostly shelved in place of revision. However, the chapters should be getting out much faster now that I'm done with exams._

 _Oh, and this chapter sets up a few things that won't come into play until a long way down the road so don't be too surprised when something shows up._

 _Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, JK Rowling does_

* * *

 _ **Chapter 15 – The Dance of Ice and Fire**_

 _Date: Sunday December 25_ _th_ _1994_

 _Location: Fourth Year Gryffindor Male Dormitory_

"Thud"

Harry groaned loudly as he felt something impact his stomach as he awoke from slumber on Christmas morning. The risen sun peeked through the window curtains, bathing the entire room with it's warm glow. Another jolt of pain erupted from Harry, who opened his eyes quickly, only to find a pair of enormous green orbs staring right back at him.

"Dobby! Get off!" Harry yelled, his body still worn out from the dancing practice and physical training he had been undergoing. For the past week, Daphne had insisted on him 'slimming down' so as to fit his dress robes better, as well as being a better dancer. How that worked was beyond him but he couldn't figure out how to say no to the uncharacteristically frantic blonde. Dobby quickly scrambled off his beloved Harry Potter as he landed off the bed, bowing awkwardly as he ran his long fingers over his mouth.

"Dobby is sorry sir. Dobby is only wanting to wish Harry Potter 'Merry Christmas' and bring him a present, Sir! Harry Potter did say Dobby could come and see him sometimes, sir!" the elf said quickly and earnestly. By now, the rest of the dorm had begun to wake up.

"Someone attacking you, Harry?" Seamus asked drowsily.

"No, just Dobby," Harry replied. "Go back to sleep." Seamus pretended to seriously think about doing so but simply said "Nah, presents!" and hopped off. Dean and Neville mimicked their friend's actions and began opening their presents, allowing Dobby and Harry to continue their conversation.

"Can Dobby give you his present?" Dobby asked quietly after the other three boys had left. Harry nodded in reply, so Dobby held out a package.

"They're socks, sir!" Dobby said earnestly "Dobby is making them with wool he buys with his salary."

"They're ... thanks Dobby," Harry said. He hadn't forgotten about getting Dobby a gift, which he had purchased from Gladrags last week. After all, he had nothing to do for a few hours, it came naturally.

"Dobby, take the package marked 'Dobby' from my trunk" Harry said, for he was still sore from being landed on. The elf quickly dug out the package and opened them. Inside were a set of red silk-lined socks which Dobby gazed at as if it were the most precious jewels in all of Magical Britain.

"Socks are Dobby's favourite clothes sir!" the elf said excitedly "I has seven now sir but, they be making a mistake at the shop. They gave you two of the same!"

"Now Harry, how did you miss that!" Ron said, grinning. He tossed Dobby a pair of woollen socks that he had just opened, "Take these two and you can mess them up as you want." Dobby looked absolutely ecstatic at the gifts.

"Sir is very kind –" Dobby began but was stopped by Harry.

"Dobby, don't you have somewhere else to be?" The elf's eyes lit up. Bowing again, he spoke again.

"Dobby must help! We is making Christmas Dinner in the kitchens!" with this, Dobby 'popped' away, leaving Ron and Harry alone in the room.

"Impatient, mate?" Ron said laughingly. Harry simply groaned and sat up. While it wasn't aching as it had been for a few nights, Harry still felt sore and didn't want to move. Dobby's presence, as benign as his intentions were, was creating a migraine inside Harry's brain. He shook his head to rid himself of drowsiness and began rummaging through his gifts.

As always, the Dursleys' 'gift' cost less than the mailing fee, this time a single tissue. Similarly, Hermione had given him a book ( _Quidditch Teams of Britain and Ireland_ ) and Hagrid had given him an assortment of snacks. Ron had also given him a box of dungbombs (how he snuck it past Flitch was beyond him) and Sirius had apparently given him a magical penknife (he would have to ask what the difference was when they met again) and of course, Mrs. Weasley had given him a green jumper, topped with a scarlet red dragon on its front and a cache of mince pies. Harry looked contently at his presents when he spotted one more package in his pile, marked with unfamiliar handwriting.

"Woah!" exclaimed Ron. Harry turned and looked towards his best friend and his jaw dropped as well. The redhead was wearing the Chudley Cannons hat that Harry had gifted him, holding up a strangely familiar-shaped package. In a flurry, Ron opened the package and brandished what appeared to be a new broom. The wood was a shimmering orange-gold color, with the words _Star Sweeper XV_ emblazoned on it, giving it an overall bright and glossy sheen. Under Harry's close scrutiny, he could see how every twig, every branch was angled in the most streamlined manner. This was clearly a very well made broom, despite the fact that neither Harry nor Ron had known of this model beforehand.

"This is…" Ron stammered, his giddiness still present. A small note dropped down from the tattered remains of the packaging, which Harry picked up and read.

 _Dear Ron,_

 _Hey! It's Tracey! You probably have not heard of the broom before, it's from America, one of the most recent models that they have! My dad insisted on giving you something to thank you for helping me after the tournament so I got you this._

 _Merry Christmas!_

 _Tracey_

 _P.S. I didn't have time to write a note for Harry of Hermione but I (with Daphne) got them something too_

Harry fumbled around and fished out the mysterious package, now identified to be from Tracey and Daphne. He cautiously opened it and found a magical binder that held a dozen sheets of paper inside it. Each sheet had an ornate design, with the words "Certificate for free Treacle Tart" emblazoned boldly on each one. Upon reading this, Harry's eyes bugged out comically.

"How did they know?" he stammered. Ron gingerly put down his gift on his bed and scooted over to Harry's, reading the note. Chuckling her replied.

"Mate, everyone knows that! You clean out our table every time they're served!" Ron clapped his friend in the back, causing Harry to nervously laugh.

"Man, their gifts are so good, makes mine seem inadequate."

* * *

 _Location: Daphne's Dormitory_

"Presents!" Tracey exclaimed as she bound into Daphne's room. The blonde groaned as her best friend skipped around and plopped herself onto a nearby table. Behind her, a small parade of presents of different shapes and sizes levitated through, piling into a neat stack next to Daphne's pile. This was their tradition, to open their presents together concurrently, though it was the first time either of them had spent Christmas at Hogwarts, preferring instead to stay at the spacious Greengrass manor instead.

"Tracey! Stopping making so much noise!" Daphne said as she sat up. Like Harry, she had undergone some physical training to condition her body for the dance, leading to her current soreness. The blonde heiress got to her feet, supressing a yawn unconsciously and looked at the piles. As usual, hers was larger than Tracey's.

"Finally! Took you long enough!" Tracey said, pouting. Daphne gave her friend an annoyed look, which the brunette just waved away, instead deciding to open the package marked 'Mom & Dad'. Tearing open the packaging, Tracey smiled widely as she examined her new _Star Sweeper XV_.

"Makes sense," Daphne said thoughtfully, "If your father could get a broomstick for Weasley, he could for you too." Tracey shrugged and opened the next package from her 'Grandma Serena and Grandpa Calem'. It appeared to be some sort of muggle choker, which Tracey seemed to like very much as she hastily put it on. The aquamarine gems on the apparel shone radiantly as Tracey walked over to the mirror.

"Lucky you," Daphne said dryly as Tracey continued to admire herself.

"Hey! It's not my fault that my grandparents own a muggle diamond company" Tracey shot back with a smile. Daphne huffed and went to open her presents. Her parent's had sent her a book titled _Ice Lore: A Journeyman's Guide_. _"Disappointing but not unexpected"_ she thought as she opened her other gifts. Another book was sent to her, _Goblins and Dwarves_ , a storybook from her paternal grandparents. Her maternal grandfather had instead opted to send her a fine collection of confectionary from all across Europe. Delicious but horrible for her figure.

The other gifts were more mundane, a batch of potions from various cousins, a magical scale from her sister (for what purpose was beyond her) and other assorted clothes and items. The last package she opened didn't have a name on it but it was obvious who sent it. One bottle of Sleekeazy's best, sent to her by one Harry Potter, probably bought for a far higher price that what he really needed. Daphne supposed that Harry had no idea what she wanted and just simply asked others for ideas. Oh well, it wasn't like she was expected some extremely thoughtful gift that made her remember her childhood or something.

"Nothing good as usual?" Tracey asked. Daphne nodded her head neutrally, keeping her disappointment at bay. It wasn't as if she expected much, pure-bloods rarely spent much for Christmas gifts, or most gifts for that matter, barring of course the gifts at the ages of seven, seventeen and seventy-seven.

"Well, I can't wait to –" Tracey said before she was interrupted by a knock on the door. The brunette walked over to it, revealing a stone faced Sophie Roper.

"Time," she simply said. Tracey frowned and looked at her watch gasping in shock.

"Daph, we need to leave, now!"

The blonde cast the **time charm** and almost jumped back in shock. Quickly, she magically gathered the torn and tattered remains of the packaging that once housed her and Tracey's gifts before reducing its size to fit in the garbage. Oh how she wished she knew how to vanish things right now.

"Hurry!" cried Tracey, one foot out of the door already. Daphne walked briskly out and found Tracey and Sophie standing there, alongside Pansy Parkinson and Millicent Bulstrode. A neutral greeting was exchanged between the heiresses presumptive before the group of five quickly walked to the Great Hall. Today was a day where grudges and problems would be temporarily forgotten. This was the day when collective pride of the Slytherin girls mattered far more than their petty squabbles. It didn't matter than Pansy and Daphne hated each other, or that Millicent wanted to pound Sophie into a pulp for more reasons than any of them could count, or any of the other miscellaneous grudges, upsets or problems that they held against one another. What mattered was that they had to all look the best they could in preparation for the Yule Ball. And that was _all_ that mattered.

* * *

 _A few hours later…_

 _Location: Entrance Hall_

Harry nervously tugged on his cuffs as he waited awkwardly with a mass of random students in the Entrance Hall. People of each and every house were gathered there, some with their partners but most, like Harry, without. Ron was waiting in the common room for Hermione, as was Seamus for a girl he didn't know or Neville for Ginny.

"Nervous, Harry?" Dean said from beside him. The other Gryffindor boy was dressed rather smartly in a set of dress robes that resembled a muggle suit, like the ones that Harry had brought initially. Looking around, Harry noticed the disparity between the number of males and females present. Since around four o'clock, and even before, the girls around the castle seemed to have vanished, an event that perplexed Harry but he simply went along with it.

Harry checked the giant grandfather clock and saw that the time was approximately a quarter to eight. For the fourth (or was it the sixth?) time this night, Harry sighed nervously. The past week's practices were somewhat fruitful for Harry, though being chided for his non-existent dancing skills by an irritated Daphne haunted him in his sleep. Though, since the blonde had decided she did _not_ require to enchant her shoes with metal coverings, he felt that his progress was decent.

A rumbling of footfalls signalled the arrival of more students. Harry turned to see Malfoy in front, dressing in high-collared robes of black velvet. At his side was a strangely downbeat Pansy Parkinson, clad in frilly pink robes as she kept glancing backwards furiously. Crabbe and Goyle formed the flank of the usual quartet, wearing matching garish green robes. Harry looked further into the group, noticing Theo Nott wearing navy colored robes, with a girl whose name he could not remember talking to him quietly. The Nott scion noticed Harry's presence and pointed his thumb down the stairway. Harry nodded in response and stared intently down the dim path.

" _Please tell me she didn't stand me up!_ " he thought anxiously.

Then, it happened.

Like an angel descending onto a battlefield (or ascending, as is the case here), Daphne stepped up into the entrance hall. She was wearing a luxurious silk dress that seemed to be made of ice, snugly hugging her figure and accentuating her body in ways that Harry had never imagined. Her hair was even more sleek and silken than usual, flowing down her back and shoulders like a golden waterfall. Many jaws dropped at the sight, male and female alike, and Harry's was no different. Daphne smirked as she absorbed the stunned looks that populated the hall and walked up to her date, curtseying cutely as she stopped in front of him.

"Potter," she said formally. Harry couldn't form a coherent word. He knew that Daphne was attractive (rooming with Dean and Seamus would do that to a person) but this was the first time he could feel it. A strange sensation overtook him, dragging him into a trance, only brought back to reality by Daphne's ice-cold stare. Hastily, he bowed down in greeting.

"Greengrass," he replied, stuttering. Daphne smiled at him in a faux sweet manner before pulling him close. Whispering softly yet forcefully into his ear, she said: "Remember what we practiced. If you make a fool of yourself, I will haunt you to the ends of the planet." Harry gulped but nodded. With this, Daphne smiled once more and planted a peck on his cheek. Having anticipated this, Harry shook off the shock rather quickly and looked around the room. He saw Ron on the edge of the crowd, a very surprised look on his face. Seamus was standing next to him, giving Harry a big thumb's up to which Harry nodded unsurely to. Hermione was standing next to Ron, a neutral mask plaster on her face. It came as a surprise to Harry how he was able to identify the mask but he paid it no heed as the great oak doors swung open, revealing a large portion of the Durmstrang delegation and their partners for the night.

Smartly dressed as always, Viktor Krum led his party alongside Professor Karkaroff, the later who was grinning proudly as they marched into the castle, much like how they had first entered a few months prior. Accompanying the professional Quidditch player was a shorter girl dressed in modest but nonetheless eye-catching set of white dress robes. Her chestnut hair was intricately braided, it's complex twists and turns making Harry wonder how it was possible to make hair styled like so. Beside Harry, Daphne's jaw dropped suddenly. The girl turned to look at Harry and Daphne, giving the latter a cheerful smile and a wink as she revealed her identity – Tracey Davis.

"She is so telling me how that happened…" muttered Daphne, loud enough that only Harry was able to hear. Still surprised at Krum's choice of date, Harry didn't answer. Instead, his eyes found Ron and Hermione, the former whose face appeared as the epitome of surprise and confusion. Hermione was in the process of speaking into his ear, no doubt telling him who Krum's 'mystery' date really was. Ron appeared to be having trouble coping with the knowledge, to which Harry made a mental note to speak with his best friend at some point during the evening.

"Champions, over here please!" called Professor McGonagall's voice. Everyone's attention was turned to the elder witch, dressed in red tartan garb with a messy wreath of thistles on her pointy hat. Harry felt Daphne move his arm out, forcing it sideways as she grabbed onto it softly. The two walk with mild awkwardness towards the giant double doors to the great Hall.

"Hey Daph, Harry!" Tracey said brightly as her friends approached. Daphne froze in her step, almost making Harry fall in the process. The couple quickly regained their composure and returned the greeting. Taking the moment to regain composure, Harry looked forward at the rest of the champions. As the current leader in the competition, Cedric led the procession, accompanied by Cho is an elegant evening gown. Harry felt his chest tighten considerably at the sight, as he began to stare coolly at the pair before he was nudged by Daphne.

"Keep your focus on me," she hissed "If not, you will do something stupid and trip us up." Harry nodded dumbly and waited. Another moment passes and Professor McGonagall coughs, focusing the remaining eight people's attention.

"Now that everyone is settled, follow me through. As you should already know, the eight of you will partake in the Yule Feast alongside the judges on the high table. Make sure you behave in a manner that reflects your individual school's pride, honor and reputation." she said with her usual, curt tone. A swish of her red robes and the massive doors swinging open signalled Harry to begin moving forward. He barely registered the applause that accompanied their entrance, nor did he realize all the looks that were thrown in his, Daphne's or Tracey's directions. He simply kept walking straight, almost tripping on the stairs that led up to the high table. Every step he took felt like he walked a mile.

Beside him, Daphne was equally nervous but kept her feelings to herself. It wouldn't do for her to panic now, Potter would collapse and they would both be socially embarrassed (and possibly ruined). The pair reached the high table finally, after what seemed to have been marathon. Daphne took a moment to closely examine the high table. It was obviously very old in design, probably had been there since the school's first founding. The material reminded her of her father's own personal desk, odd, since he had his desk imported from the north.

She then glanced at the judges for the tournament, having never been so physically close to so many powerful magical figures before. Dumbledore was clad in his usual ceremonious robes, looking particularly grandfatherly. Daphne unconsciously scowled as she examined Igor Karkaroff. From her father, she knew that the man was a Death Eater at some point in life and had betrayed his former allies in exchange for clemency. How this had convinced Barty 'The Hammer' Crouch Senior to be lenient was still a mystery. Regardless, the Durmstrang head-teacher was wearing what appeared to be a set of jet black robes in comparison to his usual charcoal robes, looking as drab as usual with a familiar, irritated expression directed at Krum and Tracey.

The eccentric Ludovic Bagman sat to his left, dressed in strange and gaudy bright purple robes with five-pointed stars dotting the fabric and giving him an appearance of an overdressed circus elephant. Daphne seen this man a few times in the past during parties held in her manor, acting as bombastic as his attire. Daphne frowned at the man as she looked at Madame Maxine (who she was almost certain bore giant's blood within two generations) who had substituted her usual black satin robes for a luxurious, wisteria gown. It did well to give the large woman a sense of sensuality in her movements but did not hide her rather large frame. The blonde's eyes narrowed unconsciously as the familiar thought revisited her. From all her reading on international magical laws, many species' movements were restricted for safety reasons and giants were almost on the top of that list. For Dumbledore to have gotten all the paperwork done (or outright bypassed the laws themselves) stood as a testament of his character, one way or another.

Rounding off the list of judges was the oldest Weasley brother that Daphne was familiar of, instead of Barty Crouch Senior, whom she assumed was otherwise engaged. She had vague memories of a pompous and self-righteous prefect (and later head boy) who strutted around the corridors as though he was the ruler of them all. Daphne did not like this man, and found that she liked him even less when he gestured to her date to sit near them. Without a choice, Daphne steered him towards Percival Weasley, sitting on her date's side away from the former head boy.

The Weasley greeted Potter strangely heartily and enveloped the boy in conversation, leaving Daphne with no-one to talk to. Having nothing better to do, Daphne decided to thoroughly appreciate the decorations that she had missed when she was walking into the hall. For it was the first time she had stayed in school during the yuletide, Daphne was awed at how amazing the decorations were, even more so that the Halloween decorations had been. The enchanted ceiling was that of a starry night, picture perfect to what could be seen outside. The room was illuminated with fairy lights, literal fairies that were kept in bottles after being conjured. Amongst them, dry snow seemed to fall from mid-air (no doubt conjured), vanishing if they came close to a person. Before long, Dumbledore finished his speech and the meal began. Daphne was brought back to the real world when she felt a soft poke to her shoulder.

"Uh… Greengrass?" Harry asked softly, "How do I get food?" Daphne turned towards the table and looked around. In front of her was her usual utensils and plate, accompanied by her glass and a sheet of paper. She glanced at Harry and had to suppress the desire to sigh at his clueless expression.

"Just say what you want to the plate clearly and you'll get it, it's not difficult" she said snappishly. To his credit, Harry managed to give her an apologetic look before he began ordering food to eat. Daphne followed suit, intent on eating lightly so as to not feel too full when dancing.

She cast her gaze around the hall once more, spotting Ron Weasley looking strangely intently towards the high table. It was easy for her to tell that the redhead was looking at Tracey but found that she couldn't find it in herself to blame him. After all, her best friend _did_ have a lot to explain and _was_ looking particularly spectacular (who knew Millicent Bulstrode knew so much about glamor charms?). Weasley's gaze averted abruptly as Granger lightly tapped him on the head, the studious girl's jealousy readily apparent to Daphne's perceptive gaze.

Smirking furtively, Daphne continued to look around the Hall. She spotted Sophie and Theo, at the side of the Hall as expected. Sophie had a sheet of paper beside her plate, with a quill dancing atop it. Apparently, Theo knew what was going on as he did not give any outward reaction to the seemingly autonomous quill. Sophie appeared to pause momentarily. As if by magic, she seemed to notice Daphne's stare and pointed a finger towards a table closer to the centre of the room. Daphne followed the black-haired girl's finger and almost jumped in shock when her eyes reached their destination.

"Daphne, what's wrong?" Harry asked concernedly. Daphne gave him a look but did not reply immediately. This was a private matter, Potter's knowledge of this was unnecessary. And so Daphne went back to eating, leaving a confused Harry hanging as she began to plan.

After a while, Dumbledore got up from his throne. Waving his wand while whispering incantations that no-one could hear, the leftover food was cleared away and all the students got up. With another wave of his wand, the tables and chairs were swept off to the sides of the room, many of them vanishing to who knows where, leaving the floor empty. At the same time, an assembly of instruments were conjured on a raised platform.

"Potter," Daphne hissed quietly into Harry's ear. He nodded nervously, having mentally (and physically) prepared himself for this moment. He almost tripped on his dress robes as he walked down to the dance floor with Daphne, am embarrassment that fortunately never came to pass as the Slytherin had wisely kept him upright, steering him into position. Harry's eyes began darting around nervously each step they took, becoming increasingly self-conscious every passing moment.

"Potter!" Daphne hissed, louder this time "Eyes on me!" Harry imperceptibly nodded and began to use the meditative technique she had taught him on reflex. Before he knew it, the music began and the unlikely pair began to move alongside all the other champions. Harry began to relax and allow Daphne to steer him through. Every couple moved as one, whirling and twirling around, somehow not colliding with one another despite their inexperience (and other matters). Other couples soon began to join in and before long, the spotlight was off of the Champions and their partners.

Daphne and Harry waltzed around for a while, the former taking note other's dancing as they passed each couple. Dumbledore and Madame Maxine looked absolutely ridiculous, the old but far shorter Dumbledore barely reaching the enormous woman's chest in height, trying to perform what seemed to be a bastardized version of the foxtrot. Meanwhile, Daphne watched as the ungainly Moody dancing (if you could call it that) with Professor Sinistra, his electric blue eye whizzing around rapidly. Daphne immediately felt conscious and moved her arms tighter around herself, unconsciously squeezing Harry tighter.

"Oof … Green–" Harry choked out. Daphne immediately let go, blushing and muttering an apology. She continued to look around, spotting a slow-moving Theo and Sophie, the latter no doubt collecting information on everyone around her. Millicent was dancing with Euan Noel, a student from Durmstrang who Daphne didn't know anything about, the pair skittering around the dance floor strangely. Daphne began looking for Tracey but was unable to spot her best friend amongst the crowd, instead spotting Draco Malfoy's signature mop of hair dancing with–.

As if it were planned, the Weird Sisters finished the song on a final quaking note. Daphne let go of Harry almost instantly.

"I've got to go," she said urgently, "Meet me near the front doors in about 15 minutes." Harry's face was the personification of confusion. He opened his mouth to ask about the situation but Daphne had already disappeared into the crowd. Reeling from shock, Harry decided to go take a seat and get a drink. Around him, the music picked up again, this time a much faster song. The dancers shifted their steps accordingly, dancing the 'quick-step' if Harry remembered correctly from his and Daphne's sessions. The thought of the unpredictable blonde caused him to momentarily freeze before he shook off the worry.

Harry looked around and saw Ron sitting down as he was chatting to someone he couldn't see properly. Figuring that he might as well go talk to his best friend, Harry walked over to find Ron. The redhead's conversational partner was very animated, which Harry deduced wasn't Hermione. His friend was not usually a person who would move like that as she spoke. Walking closer, he noticed that Ron was talking to Tracey, while Hermione and Krum seemed to not be present. Harry watched as Tracey dramatically bowed her head down, with Ron putting up his hands in surrender.

"Alright, alright, I forgive you," Ron said awkwardly, "You weren't fraternizing with the enemy". Tracey's eyes seemed to gleam with joy as she grabbed Ron's hand, shaking it rapidly. Ron seemed to laugh nervously as Harry approached.

"Um…" Harry hummed awkwardly. Ron and Tracey jumped back in surprise, neither of them having anticipated Harry's arrival. Harry decided to take a seat, drawing up a chair next to Ron's and sitting down.

"Where're Krum and Hermione?" he asked after stretching slightly. Ron pointed towards the back of the hall.

"Drinks," he explained. Harry nodded understandingly, watching the pair in front of him. "So, what was that about? Just now I mean."

Ron looked slightly abashed at his friend's question and turned away, leaving Tracey to answer him. "So you know how I'm Viktor's date for this event right?" she asked. Harry nodded more vigorously than he wished, he was very interested to hear this story as well. Harry knew that he barely knew Tracey and knew Krum even less (only having heard him speak just minutes' prior for the first time).

"So this is how it happened…"

 _Flashback_

 _Date: Thursday, December 15_ _th_ _1994_

 _Location: Hogwarts Library_

" _It isn't that Daph, I just wish someone would ask me…"_

"Ahem…" coughed a rough voice for beside Tracey. The brunette almost fell off her seat in surprise. It was quite rare for anyone to talk to her personally, and none more when she was alone. Usually, people wanted to talk to Daphne or something…

"Aa?" said the voice again. Tracey looked to her left and almost dropped her jaw in shock. Standing next to her (grunting no less) was the superstar of the Bulgarian Quidditch team, Viktor (*******) Krum. Tracey blinked three times in rapid succession.

"Uh..." she began stuttering "Are you talking to me?" The two of them awkwardly looked at each other. "If you're looking for my friend, she has class so–"

"Dat's an eenteresting book." Viktor said, pointing at the copy of _Nordic Mythology: A Timeline_ that Tracey was holding. Tracey looked blankly at Viktor for a brief moment before her mind finished processing the information.

"Yeah!" she said a little loudly. Madam Pince shot her a glare which made the girl curl up slightly. Whispering now, she said "I'm reading about the adventure where the Norse God Thor got his hammer back from the giant… uh …" Tracey stammered, pointing to the name 'Þrymr'

"Vey pronounce it 'Thrym'" Viktor offered. Tracey blushed as the man continued. "Dat is vone of Thor's more funny stories." He chuckled and Tracey followed in his lead.

"The book is very well written," Tracey said after a while "It really feels like I am part of the story when I read it." Viktor's expression became unreadable for a moment.

"Ah, I know the writer." Tracey looked at him in surprise. "He is my Pofessor Magni, I can introduce vou if vou like" Tracey's jaw slackened for the second time in a few minutes. From the corner of her eye, she could see members of Viktor's fan-club mimicking her expression with far more intense eyes.

"Wha?" Tracey replied after a while. She went red at how she was acting but to her surprise, Viktor simply smiled.

"Pofessor Magni vull be attending da Yule Ball," Viktor explained. He coughed again, his face seemingly contorting ever so slightly "I could introduce vou if you come with me to da event."

Tracey blinked. For the third time this conversation, Tracey was left speechless.

"Are… are you ask… asking me to the Yule Ball?" she managed to stammer out. Viktor went red in front of her, nodding.

For that moment, Tracey felt time seem to stop around her. The rest of the world seemed to fade away, leaving only her and Viktor Krum remaining. She coughed.

"Uh, I acc– … no wait no, I mean … Umm… Yes!" she spluttered out. Viktor tilted his head questioningly. "Yes! … I mean … I humbly accept your invitation, Mister Krum!" Tracey felt her voice twist around, cracking strangely as she spoke. Feeling quite embarrassed, she was glad that Viktor either didn't notice or simply was too polite to mention it.

"Good, good!" Viktor said with a smile on his usually stony face. Tracey tried unsuccessfully to return the gesture but her racing heart made it impossible for her to relax properly.

"Vell, come down to the _Skidbladnir_ , our ship, at nightfall on da day to meet me," Viktor said. Tracey nodded in response and Viktor turned to leave.

"Quick Question," Tracey whispered. Viktor turned back party, his head inclined towards Tracey. "I'm not the first girl you asked, am I?" Viktor's expression immediately turned apologetic. "I thought as much"

"Vou are the second girl," Viktor explained with a sad expression on his face. Tracey tilted her head and gave him a cheerful smile which he took gratefully as he walked out of the library. As he departed, his fan club also began to rise. Taking this as a threat, Tracey quickly stood up and fled the library.

" _Well, it seems we share more things in common than just an enjoyment in Nordic myths…"_

 _End Flashback_

"That just about sums it up!" Tracey said brightly. Harry nodded in a knowing manner, as did Ron despite his second hearing of the story. Tracey leaned back on her chair, taking a deep breath after recounting her tale.

"Wonder why he didn't just ask one of those girls," remarked Ron, gesturing to the group of girls who were currently attempting to stare holes into Tracey. Harry vaguely recalled some of these people, a mix of Durmstrang, Hogwarts and Beauxbatons students, following Viktor around, even trying to gain access to the Champions' Tent before the First task. The trio synchronously shuddered at the thought. "Yeah, I think I see…"

"Wonder who he wanted to ask though?" Harry said thoughtfully. Ron seemed to blush slightly as Tracey smiled demurely, gesturing to a pair of people walking in their direction, carrying two drinks each in their hand. As they drew closer, Harry recognized them to be Viktor Krum and Hermione Granger.

"Wait … Hermione?! No way!" Harry said loudly with surprise. Hermione frowned in confusion as she put down the mugs of pumpkin juice. Viktor read the situation quickly and transitioned into a neutral façade. Between Ron and Viktor's embarrassment, Harry decided to wisely stop pursuing the matter.

"So, is Professor Magni here?" Tracey asked. Viktor nodded stiffly as he sat down. The man's blood red robes folded neatly onto the seat as he spoke.

"Pofessor Magni vishes to meet with vou fast" Viktor explained, his voice directed at the whole group.

"Wait … all of us?" Hermione asked. Ron was still stuck speechless at his idol's presence and Harry was faring only slightly better.

"He vas referring to Tracey and Potter, but vou two can come as vell, Hermy-own" Viktor elaborated.

"Hermione, and why Harry?" Hermione corrected and asked.

"He did not say," replied Viktor after a moment's thought. Harry shrugged and rose from his seat.

"Well, it's not like we have many better things to do," he said "Let's go?" Ron too rose and tilted his head as he shrugged. Wordlessly, Viktor began leading the quartet to find the professor who wrote the book.

* * *

 _Location: Viaduct Courtyard_

Viktor lead the quartet of our heroes and heroines out of the Great Hall without much difficulty, barring the occasional stares and fingers in their directions from all sorts of people. However, given the crowded state of the Hall, no-one could really take notice of the temporary disappearance of two of the Champions, especially when Ludo Bagman had challenged Dumbledore to in a dancing duel. That was the beginning one of the most hilarious events in Hogwarts history but that is a story for another day.

Instead, we find Viktor walking quickly, in a movement that somewhat resembled that of a stiff walk or a loose march, towards one of the pillars that close to the outer wall of Hogwarts Castle. Nearly every other student was still inside the Great Hall, thus leaving the courtyard virtually vacant. Only when walking closer did Harry spot the vague shadow of a man, his body barely reflecting light from the fairies around them.

"Pofessor," Viktor said in greeting as he bowed down. The man chuckled, stepping out of the shadows. He was short in stature and his face was noticeably aged. What was left of his hair was silvery-white, it's tiny wisps jutting out at uneven parts at the back of his head. Contrastingly, his expression was jovial, further accentuated by his mirthful chuckle that he was currently producing. While his posture was fully relaxed, it heavily contrasted with a sensation that Harry was feeling right now. It was akin to that of Dumbledore's presence, one of relaxation but also of power.

"Relax, Viktor. Right now, I am merely a friend, not your teacher." Turning towards the Hogwarts students, "As you may know by now, my name is Magni, writer and connoisseur on myths of many cultures. Oh, and Professor of Ancient Studies at Durmstrang." Magni spoke in English without any trace of an accent, somewhat surprising Hermione and Tracey (while Ron and Harry didn't notice).

"Uh… Pleased to meet you, sir, it is a great honor …" Tracey began nervously, causing Magni to smile.

"Please, dispense with the formalities, it gets old after all these years." Understanding, Tracey bobbed her head down. At this, Magni looked up at the children in front of him appraisingly. "Would you four do an old man a favour and allow me to guess your origins? An old man must have his hobbies." he asked neutrally. Faced under Viktor's stare and the strange aura around the old man, none of them disagreed and nodded. Magni pointed at Ron.

"You must be a Weasley," Magni said without any hesitation. Caught off guard, Ron simply nodded in response and Magni continued. "Yes, yes, you resemble Bartholomew Weasley, an old friend of mine." Ron dumbly nodded again, trying to recall a 'Bartholomew' in his family tree. Turning to Hermione, Magni continued.

"Hmm… You have some resemblance to Hector Dagworth-Granger, an old potioneer … any relation?" Hermione shook her head.

"I am a muggle-born, sir, so mostly likely not." Magni frowned.

"Hector was a man from a relatively long time ago," he said thoughtfully. Continuing to scrutinize Hermione's visage, "You may be related to him distantly. After all, one of his descendant lines may have become squibs. All magic must come from magic, for that is a constant in the world." Hermione looked up with some measure of awe.

"Like the conservation of energy! …" Hermione excitedly said before she could stop herself. Ron, Harry, Tracey and Viktor all looked at her with measures of confusion as they had no idea what she was talking about. However, Magni simply chuckled.

"Precisely."

Turning slightly more, Magni's gaze fell on Harry. A flicker of recognition flitted through his eyes as his lips upturned ever so slightly. "You must be the youngest Champion, the one who faced the Chinese Fireball head on!" Harry looked surprised at how he was addressed. Magni hadn't even taken a look at his scar, nor referred to him as the boy-who-lived (as he was accustomed to being called).

"You remind me of my brother," Magni said nostalgically, "He was the brave one, he was. Strong to an extent, yes, but far more bravery than he had brawn." Another appraising look was sent Harry's way. The boy involuntarily stepped back as the old man's critical gaze seemed to look straight through him and into his soul. After a while, Magni hummed.

"I see that Ignotus's wits have been passed to this generation as well. They have and will serve you well, young Potter." Magni's tone had transitioned from one of nostalgia to one that resembled that of a teacher's. Harry found it in himself to bow down to the old man who had now turned to Tracey.

"Last but not the least, the young lady who has captured Viktor's attention!" Magni said, causing both of them to blush. "You look strangely familiar, as though I have seen you recently …" Tracey looked curiously at the man deep in thought.

"I've been said to resemble my father," she offered. The short man seemed to reach a conclusion as he looked up suddenly.

"Are you related to either Harrison Davis or Zeke Langstrom?" he asked with a measure of questioning. Tracey swallowed hard.

"Harrison Davis is my father … Mr Langstrom is…" Magni seemed to understand instantly.

"My condolences."

A slightly awkward moment followed but was soon broken by Tracey's question.

"Er… Excuse me, but how do you know of my father? I know he never went to Durmstrang for his studies, being that he is a muggle-born himself." Magni thought for a moment before replying.

"If I recall correctly, you father and his friend sought me out to assist them with a spell that they were creating. As one of the experts in that field, it was natural for them to come to me for guidance." Tracey nodded, having connected a few dots in her head. Suddenly, a loud boom swept through the courtyard.

"HARRY JAMES POTTER!"

An irate Daphne Greengrass stormed into the field, her eyes gleaming dangerously with her rage. Harry backpedalled in fright, walking into Magni in shock. The old man looked amusedly at the awfully familiar scene that was playing before him and recognized the incensed blonde who was currently rampaging towards the boy in front of him. The Greengrass heiress stopped in front of Harry and grabbed the front of his robes.

"You have some nerve," Daphne said angrily as she pulled on Harry's collar "To leave me there alone. Do you know how long you were missing?!"

Harry was cowering, having experienced many similar experiences with Uncle Vernon's rage induced outburst and Harry knew the best way out was to surrender. This however, did not sit well with Daphne as she began to shake him slightly.

"Look at me!" she said, forcing Harry's face up. The two stared into each other's eyes for a moment, disregarding everyone around them. After a few moments, Daphne spoke again.

"Look, I am mad that you left the Great Hall without informing me. As your partner at the event, I should be kept abreast of your actions. Are we clear?" Harry nodded slowly, his head drooping down again before he felt it get raised by Daphne once more.

"Stop cowering!" Harry's upturned eyes stared deep into Daphne's, her brown orbs momentarily flashing blue. "No wizard standing by my side cowers from something like this, understand!"

Harry nodded numbly again, this time keeping his gaze on the blonde. Her fierce gaze momentarily softened. "Good. We have to return now to the Hall before out disappearance is noted," Daphne said. Without a word to anyone else, she grabbed Harry and the two walked back the way she came to the Great Hall.

…

The people left in the courtyard shuffled awkwardly, each speechless for their own reasons. Hermione was appalled at how the blonde was treating her friend and also at her inability (and Ron's) to do anything to stop it. Ron, on the other hand, was more concerned with how scary Daphne looked, somewhat akin to his sister Ginny when the latter was incensed. Tracey kept silent to contain her laughter at watching Daphne's rarely seen but immense pride on display, the brunette shaking from the effort. Meanwhile, Viktor had almost no idea what was going on and wisely didn't speak out of politeness.

"Well, you four should head back as well," said Magni after a while. Each of them unfroze, Ron and Hermione nodding as they too followed Harry and Daphne's path back.

"And you?" Tracey asked curiously. Magni gazed upwards at the question, his eyes gazing at the enormous towers that reached up into the heavens. He smiled nostalgically and turned to Tracey.

"I will be taking a walk around the castle. Odin knows how it has been since I was here last…" Tracey shot Viktor a curious look.

"Come now, Tracey, ve must go back to the Hall" Viktor said without much emotion. Tracey pouted but reluctantly agreed, taking the large man's arm and walked back to the Great Hall.

Left alone in the courtyard, Magni yawned as he stretched. He reached out towards the pillar he had been leaning on for some time and pulled out an ornate looking walking stick. Slowly but steadily he walked into the Entrance Hall. Like the courtyard, there was no-one loitering around in the usually bustling room. With some apparent difficulty, Magni hiked up to the large golden statue that decorated the room. The statue depicted an old man holding a replica of the castle in his right hand and a set of charts and set squares on his left. Around him, the four mascots of the houses encircled the statue.

Magni frowned as he examined the statue critically before breaking into a smile. "Over a thousand years since this place is built and they still haven't fixed his beard," he said chuckling. "Bran must be really irritated." Looking around quickly to ensure that no-one was around, Magni walked to the back of the statue of Hogwarts' architect and hit his walking stick on the Hogwarts crest that was on the statue's back. Instantly, a hole appeared in the floor beneath them and the man jumped down towards the darkness.

* * *

Harry and Daphne soon quickly made their way back into the Great Hall, just a few moments before the most recent song ended. Some people took note of Harry's panting but otherwise did not react to the reappearance of one of the champions. When Krum and the others made it back a few minutes later, whispers broke out within the crowd. Surely, Harry Potter and Viktor Krum's disappearances were linked? After all, it was quite well known that Daphne Greengrass and Tracey Davis were, at the very least, close friends. The timing just seemed…

"See, Potter," remarked Daphne in an irritated manner, "Your disappearance has caused us and them trouble. Harry gave her an apologetic look but kept his gaze steady. Daphne smiled faintly and brought him to the centre of the dance floor.

"For that debacle, you owe me at least two dances …" Daphne said whispering. Harry simply acquiesced to her decision, having felt bad for her. He knew to some extent that Daphne had taken a lot of time and effort to prepare for the Ball (her current appearance and lessons were a great indicator). Harry faintly smiled as the music began, whirling slowly amongst the other couples. He supposed that Daphne's actions could be seen as controlling or forceful but he personally felt that the girl in front of him was simply acting from the customs and traditions that had been ingrained into her. And so, he relaxed, allowing the blonde to steer him through the dance.

CRASH!

Harry suddenly froze up as the music stopped alongside him. The doors to the Entrance Hall had swung open, a furious Madam Maxine stomping through them. Students of all schools leapt out of the path that the gargantuan woman was taking. She didn't say a word to anyone and no-one was foolishly daring enough to ask. With a soft thud, she took a seat on a chair on the high table, leaving a deafening silence in her wake. No-one moved an inch for a few moments, each individual trying to process what had just happened. Only when the Weird Sisters started playing again did the crowd being to move, their dancing slightly quirky from the sudden halt.

"Steady," said Daphne simply as Harry almost tripped on the hem of a nearby Beauxbatons student's robes. Harry smiled gratefully at her as he fixed his posture. They continued dancing for a short time before Daphne spoke again.

"Um…" she attempted to begin. Daphne swallowed hard, as if she were exerting a great effort to get the words out. "I would like to apologise for yelling at you at the courtyard," she whispered barely loud enough for Harry to hear, "It was ungraceful for me to have done so in such a manner." Harry shrugged.

"You were right, though, I should have told you that I would be going out, so I'm sorry too." They exchanged small smiles and relaxed into the music, not caring about anything else around them.

Before long, a few more hours had passed and the clock tower struck midnight. Harry had found that the night had gone surprisingly quickly, given that he had been quaking in his boots only hours before. While he didn't consider it as one of his most enjoyable nights, he couldn't argue that it had been particularly bad.

Daphne and he had taken a few more breaks as the former found that she did not have the stamina to keep up dancing continuously, a fact that Harry had wanted to tease her about but had stayed his tongue. Unfortunately, he didn't get to see Ron or Hermione again during the ball, but he had also caught glimpses of many of his friends during the dance, Neville with Ginny, Dean with someone he vaguely recalled to be named MacDougall and lastly, and most painfully, Cho with Cedric. His heart clenched every time they crossed paths on the dance floor but thankfully for him, Daphne was able to stop him from falling.

"You know, you could have just gone and asked her for a dance," commented Daphne as they sipped on their mugs of pumpkin juice, gesturing towards the raven haired girl that Harry was staring at again "She'd probably agree and Diggory probably wouldn't have minded". Harry paused momentarily before palming his face and began shaking angrily. Daphne sighed and took out her wand.

" **Tranquillum** , **"** she incanted. After a few moments, Harry calmed down from his miniature tantrum. He shot Daphne a grateful look, thankful that no-one took special note of his angered state.

"Why didn't you?" Harry asked, "Dance with others, I mean. I saw a bunch of people ask you." Daphne quickly suppressed the urge to make a disgusted face at his words. It was indeed true that some people had asked her for a dance, most whom she had never met but some, like Cornfoot and Entwhistle, who had been repeat offenders, even after her stalwart and adamant refusals.

"I do not consort with those who cannot grasp basic etiquette," she said huffing. Harry smirked at her language as he was getting better at understanding what she was saying when she got flustered.

"Hey, Harry!" called a voice from a few meters away. Daphne and Harry looked to see Cedric Diggory walking towards them. Harry's eyes narrowed somewhat as he felt his irritation at the cheerful man bubble to the surface.

"Yeah?" replied Harry, keeping his emotion out of his tone. Cedric made it his way to the table they were sitting on, his face's discomfort becoming readily apparent as he cast a look at Daphne, who rose.

"I'll shall take my leave. Goodnight, Potter," she said curtseying before walking off to talk to someone. Cedric looked gratefully at the retreating girl.

"She seems nice," Cedric said grinning at Harry, who frowned at the blond's comment.

"We're just friends," Harry replied defensively. Cedric held up his arms in surrender.

"Woah, relax, man!" Harry dropped his frown and Cedric coughed. "Anyways, I owe you one from the tip you gave me about the dragons" he whispered, looking around for eavesdroppers. Harry nodded and shrugged.

"Glad to help," he said as he tried to take the steel out of his voice. Cedric leaned closer to him.

"Listen, you know the golden egg? Does yours wail when you open it?" Harry nodded.

"Yeah."

Cedric seemed to be about to speak but paused right before he could get the words out. "Well, I'll give you a tip I guess, a riddle like you gave me." Cedric flashed Harry a grin. "Of the five five alchemical elements, which one does Shingen Takeda not refer to on his battle standard?" Harry was completely perplexed by the riddle but did his best to hide it.

"Thanks… I guess…" he said, Cedric grinned and walked off, leaving a confused Harry Potter inside the Great Hall.

* * *

 _Date: Monday, December 26_ _th_ _1994_

 _Location: Great Hall_

Almost everyone woke up late on the next day, having partied and raved long past midnight during and after the Yule Ball. Many of the older years had after-parties that lasted till dawn and thus remained half asleep where they sat, or lay, as the case seemed to be. As a result, the boisterous Gryffindor common room was far quieter than usual, only a small amount of fourth and fifth years were fully conscious by 10:00.

Breakfast was delayed as expected, given that almost no-one could be bothered to arrive at the Great Hall at the usual 7:00. As a result, the Golden Trio were quietly munching their breakfasts in a mostly vacant Great Hall at the 'late' hour of 11:00. For some reason or another, Hermione and Ron adamantly refused to sit together, instead putting Harry in the middle while they 'discussed' the events that happened last night.

"So what do you think happened about Maxine?" asked Ron between mouthfuls of breakfast cereal. Hermione looked with barely veiled disgust at his behaviour as she finished eating. Harry frowned as he noticed this but was too tired to figure out what was wrong with his friends right now but resolved to do so when he found some time.

Across the hall, Daphne and Tracey were in heated discussion. They had both been too worn out the previous night for any serious discussion to be actually done and had instead opted to talk in the morning. Since they woke, Daphne had grilled Tracey on every single detail on Viktor's invitation and their night, at one point even planning on summoning her house elf Tizzy to fetch her father's pensieve from his study.

"So are you two going to do anything else? Or was that a one-time thing?" Daphne asked as she placed another slice of toast on her plate. Tracey paused in her eating, briefly looking upwards towards the enchanted ceiling. Today it resembled a clear summer's day to contrast with the cold winter morning outside.

"Hmm… probably not…" Tracey answered after a moment's thought. Daphne almost dropped her fork in surprise.

"What?!"

Tracey smirked at her perplexed friend before she began to explain. "It's not that Vik is a bad guy, he is just a little, you know, broody for my tastes. Plus, he has eyes on someone else so that's a major turn off." Daphne nodded with some level of understanding. It shouldn't have been too surprising, after the fiasco last year, Daphne and Tracey had done a lot of maturing when it came to relationships.

"So, how did your–"

A loud caw blasted through the room as the routine flock of owls flew in through the archways near the ceiling of the Great Hall, interrupting Tracey mid-speech. Each owl systematically dropped off and found their recipients. Many of these owls carried copies of the _Daily Prophet_ , distributing the copies amongst the sparse student populace.

On Gryffindor table, Hermione picked up a copy, opening it up. She frowned as she skimmed through the text when suddenly, her eyes opened wide as saucers and promptly fainted on her seat. Harry shouted her name, fumbling around for his wand and casting the **Reviving Spell** on her before he went and checked the article. His eyes too opened widely as he stared in shock at the article.

At the same time, Tracey paid the barn owl that had delivered to her the copy of the _Prophet_ and other publications. She too opened the paper up and gasped in surprise. Daphne looked over her friend's shoulder and dropped the teacup that she was holding, its contents thankfully not spilling due to the magical nature of the cup. With extreme amounts of shock ridden on their faces, they both began to read.

 _THE DANCE OF ICE AND FIRE_

 _By Rita Skeeter,_

* * *

 _Spells Used/Mentioned:_

 _Tranquillum – Calming Charm_

 _Enervate – Reviving Spell_

 _ **Next Time: Union**_


	16. Chapter 16 - Union

_"_ _Text"_ – Thoughts

 **"** **Text"** – Spellcast

" _Text"_ – Non-English words

 _A/N: Ok, so remember when I said chapters would be coming out much quicker? Well I forgot I would be taking a trip around Japan right after exams, meaning that I don't exactly have a method to upload. On the plus side though, the the next chapter is more than half done so I shouldn't be as long of a wait. Sorry and thanks for listening_

 _Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, JK Rowling does_

* * *

 ** _Chapter 16 – Union_**

 _Date: Monday, December 26_ _th_ _, 1994_

 _THE DANCE OF ICE AND FIRE_

 _By Rita Skeeter_

 _Long has Harry James Potter been worshipped as the savior of wizardkind after his miraculous victory over the dark plague of You-Know-Who. Deprived of love from the tender age of one, his life is littered with loss and regret. As revealed by our last interview, Harry has always missed the comfort of a parent and most importantly, a woman's touch._

 _Enter Daphne Greengrass, the astoundingly beautiful heiress to House Greengrass. As the heiress to one of our society's most well-respected families, Daphne undoubtedly carries forth her parent's elegance and grace and thus has an immense following that worships her every action. However, it appears that the breathtaking heiress does not care for such common folk as she reportedly has shot down repeated advances from these individuals. When the Triwizard Yule Ball was announced, many had speculated on who the 'Slytherin Frost Queen' would take as her champion to the dance._

 _Last night, Lady Daphne was seen escorted by none other than Harry Potter as shown in the photograph above, the former in a luxurious ice-blue dress, bedazzling the boy-who-lived (wearing fashionable fire-red robes) with her numerous charms. The pair were rarely ever seen without the other, both on stage and off it, dancing solely with one another in a manner that could be considered 'intimate' throughout the night, a dance of ice and fire, if you will. Even at one point when Harry had taken a leisurely excursion alone, it was Daphne who had brought him back to the dance floor._

 _This apparently is not the first time the pair has been sighted together, as many students at Hogwarts have noted that Harry and Daphne have been spotted together at many points in time throughout their years in Hogwarts, leading to many speculating that the two have been in a secret relationship since the end of the last school year. Indeed, their suspicions seem to have been confirmed when the loving couple were spotted holding hands on their most recent escapade to Hogsmeade._

 _Has the lonely Harry Potter finally found the person to complete his life? Has the heart-breaking Daphne Greengrass finally met her match? Harry Potter well-wishers must hope that his heart stays unblemished, lest the boy fall into the deep sorrow that I have once witnessed for all eternity._

Daphne and Tracey flipped the page but found no more material that was written by Rita Skeeter. Putting down the newspaper roughly, Daphne scanned the Gryffindor table and spotted her target. With all the anger and irritation she currently felt, Daphne glared straight at Harry Potter, who returned her enraged look with one of frazzled confusion.

"Er… Achievement unlocked?" asked Tracey weakly. Daphne snapped her attention back to Tracey, her irate gaze still fierce.

"This … this is slander!" Daphne muttered furiously. "A 'heart-breaker'? With an 'immense following'? My father will have her head for this…" Tracey chuckled humorlessly.

"Careful, you're beginning to sound like Malfoy there…" Tracey said. Daphne shot her a murderous look, causing Tracy to put up her hands in surrender. A familiar tutting sound came from behind them both, causing them to turn around quickly. The sallow figure of their Head of House revealed himself, carrying a note in one hand as he skimmed through the

"I would have thought that you would have better taste, Ms. Greengrass," he drawled. Daphne unconsciously flinched at the comment as Snape passed her a note. "It appears that the Headmaster wishes to see you and Potter at your mutual earliest conveniences. I suggest you not keep him waiting as he is a busy man." A billow of his robes later, the reserved professor had left the vicinity.

"You should go," Tracey said as she gestured towards the Gryffindor table. Daphne saw Potter rising from his seat with McGonagall next to him. It appeared that Granger had fainted for some reason, as she was laying squarely on a chair in an uncomfortable position. Potter began to walk towards her stiffly, as though he was weighed down by a few hundred tonnes of pressure.

"Very well, we shall reconvene in the library as soon as I am able," Daphne said. Tracey nodded and watched as her friend was joined by Harry Potter as they began to slowly walk towards the headmaster's office, their postures and speed resembling those of snails.

 _"_ _So much for elegance and grace…"_

* * *

 _Location: Headmaster's Office_

Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts, Supreme Mugwump of the ICW, Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, Vanquisher of Grindelwald and Grand Sorcerer of the British Isles sat on his chair in his office, twirling a pen as he watched his weathergram gyrate rapidly as he wondered again why he had bothered to take up so many important positions. He supposed it had all started when he had beaten his old friend Gellert in what was proclaimed by many to have been the greatest duel of all time. Perhaps it was his modesty speaking, but Albus simply couldn't fathom how their duel was considered as such.

Gellert was already partly exhausted by the time Albus was able to get all the way to the place now called _Vigrid_ from having to battle countless previous challengers. While strong enough to still wipe the floor with a very large majority of wizards worldwide, the dark wizard was by far not at his best. Albus supposed that the actual confrontation was quite spectacular, when Gellert and he burned a ring of golden fire around them, but it ended rather anticlimactically when Albus simply disarmed his former-friend after a gruelling _one hour_ (not three) duel. Regardless of its conclusion, this ended the global wizarding war and was the start of many of Albus's current troubles.

For the thousandth time, Albus cursed Gellert's name as he stared at the piles of paperwork he had to complete. If only there were some way to duplicate himself to complete it faster… The shifting of the stone gargoyle at the front of his office alerted him to the arrival of his first meeting of the day.

"Ah, Harry, Ms Greengrass! Come in!"

Harry walked in first, the son of two of Albus's favourite students. He still felt sorrow every time he saw Harry as he remembered how James and Lily had perished, a pair of unfortunately necessary sacrifices to stop Tom's rampage. Even now, Albus hadn't been able to figure out how else he would have stopped the seemingly unkillable Voldemort, who even proved immune to traditional 'sealing' rituals that had stopped many before him. Despite the strange circumstances (which Albus had been investigating for 14 years) that surrounded Tom's 'death' and Harry's survival, it had nevertheless only delayed the problem.

The Greengrass heiress had walked in next, looking as radiant as her mother did at the same age. Albus supposed that history was repeating itself, as it usually did, when he eyeballed the morning's newspaper that currently was sitting on his desk. As her mother, Eve Lancaster, was considered, in many ways, a rebellious pureblooded witch due to the company she kept, it seemed that Daphne was following in the same footsteps.

Harry and Daphne sat opposite Albus, their eyes easily giving away the shock and barely suppressed anger. It was easy to tell that they were both unhappy with the situation. Dumbledore faux coughed.

"Lemon Drop?" he asked as he gestured to a bowl of candy on the desk. Albus believed that it was always important to keep a clear head in any discussion, no matter the topic. The sweets simply made it easier to calm himself. Harry and Daphne both politely accepted the offer and soon all three of them were enjoying the sweet.

"So how are you two this morning?" Albus asked with his 'grandfatherly' tone. This was a skill he had cultivated after the many years he had been at work since his final clash with Gellert, designed to lull others into a sense of familiarity in order to make it easier for them to compromise and achieve peace.

The pair immediately eyed the morning's newspaper that was left lying on the edge of the claw-footed desk.

"That," Harry said monotonously.

Albus took a moment to quickly analyse the two in front of him. From the manner they drew their chairs and how their bodies were positioned, it was apparent that the two were at least friendly toward another, meaning that their appearance together the previous night was not on a mere whim (not that he would have expected the Greengrass heiress to do anything on a mere whim).

Albus stilled his face as his mind connected a few dots. He deduced that Daphne was the reason for Harry's new abilities that he had displayed during the First Task. After all, that light-based spell was certainly not in any Hogwarts syllabus and neither was the barrier spell that he had displayed (quite an interesting spell if Albus could say so himself but that's not the point).

Another furtive glance confirmed to him that the two children were not averted to one another, despite the circumstances ... hmm. Albus had never expected that Daphne Queenie Greengrass of all people would approach Harry (and by the looks of the questionably factual article, since the end of the last school year) and the fact that this occurred forced Albus to reconsider his plans. Foresight was one of the things he had resolved to have at all times after studying the multiple ways his old friend had gone wrong in his quest for power (Gellert was always the headstrong one).

As grating as his various positions were, they had all helped to give Albus enough power to mandate the British wizarding world, allowing him to stop critical threats before they even occurred, or in this case, plan well ahead so as to mitigate the damage. He was under no illusion that Voldemort was eradicated, rather that he was simply biding his time or gathering more power as they spoke. Were he to return to his former, seemingly indestructible self, Albus would need someone to fulfil the prophecy that was given to him all those years ago by a certain half-witted 'seer'.

"I see, Miss Skeeter is rather bombastic in her writing isn't she? I recall a particularly charming piece she wrote on my 'archaic thoughts' and 'dwarven beard'." Harry appeared to lighten up slightly, a good sign, but young Daphne remained stony faced. Well it seemed that humour would not work as well as he thought.

Well, if he played his cards right, Harry and Daphne's unexpected meeting could be very fruitful for Albus, providing new allies and possibly even uniting the school under their banner. Optimistic perhaps but certainly within the realm of possibility. He glanced at a few pieces of paper on his disk, the arrangements that he had made for this meeting and spoke up.

"So, how do the two of you think about it?"

Harry flinched back and quickly glanced at Daphne while the girl simply stared incredulously at Albus. Her neutral façade was undoubtly impressive for someone her age but it was clear to Albus that she was attempting to stare holes into him. Were he less adept at concealing his emotions, Albus would have frowned. This might get difficult.

"Harry, what do you feel about Daphne?" he asked with his 'grandfatherly' tone. The boy flinched again and looked at the girl next to him, his eyes widening slightly as if he was looking at her for the first time. A redness tinged his cheeks and Albus internally smiled. He didn't need to use his legilimentic abilities to deduce that Harry was at the very least physically attracted to the Greengrass heiress. Daphne appeared to not notice as she continued to glare at Albus.

"Um… I think she is great, sir," Harry muttered quietly. Daphne paused her withering glare for a moment to glance at Harry before resuming her original position. Albus chuckled.

"That she is." He inclined towards Daphne. "And you, my dear? What do you think of Harry?" The girl's gaze softened slightly as she appeared to go into deep thought. A few moments later, she answered.

"Potter is brash and unrefined, terrible at subtlety and far too slow at learning. He also appears to have difficulties in respecting his elders and has a terrible taste in clothing." She responded in a levelled tone, huffing at the end of it. Harry visibly wilted at his description but Albus was easily able to easily see through the negative words and understand what the blonde was trying to say.

From the little he knew about Daphne Queenie Greengrass, Albus recalled that she was an unnaturally fast learner in some fields and incredibly astute for her age. It wasn't surprising that she considered many of her peers to be inferior to her, particularly in Septima's class, where she had been described as "sitting around bored" by the arithmancer.

This too matched the Greengrass heiress's upbringing. Cyril was always, at the very least, an advocate for elitism and his daughter reflected that view very well, only soughting company with the most talented of people (even if she didn't realize it). She was a perfectionist and had all the traits and attributes that came with that description.

However, what surprised Albus most was the depth to her description. Brashness was not a trait usually associated with the meek Harry Potter (despite his inherent Gryffindor nature) but could be found only in his exploits. In addition, the comment about clothing appeared to prove Rita's line about the pair in Hogsmeade together. Adding all his information up, Albus easily concluded that Daphne, at the very least, cared about Harry. After all, why else would she expend so much time and effort for him? Hmm… that plan could just work out.

Albus smiled genially as he waved his wand towards the left side of the office. A cabinet door swung open and the pedestal that was inside gently glided towards the occupants. Atop the pedestal was a strange sapphire dish that seemed to be filled with a misty water. Its edges were adorned by many different runic patterns, most of them a heavily modified Saxon diction. A set of three crowns adorned the azure edges of the instrument periodically.

"This is a pensieve," Albus explained. Daphne looked irritatedly at him as Harry simply looked confusedly at the strange instrument.

"A memory viewer, yes, so what do you want us to see?" asked Daphne snappishly. The girl was clearly irritated beyond Albus's ability to verbally reason with her and so he merely tapped the edge of the basin. Immediately, a silvery-blue substance engulfed the middle of the dish, as though Albus had poured some liquid into the pensieve. A few moments later, the substance stilled itself and Albus gestured towards the pensieve.

"After you," he said. Harry shuffled around nervously, which both Daphne and Albus caught easily.

"Just tip your head into the liquid and fall in," Daphne said exasperatedly. Harry sent her an apologetic look as he did as he was told. Albus mentally noted how Harry seemed to implicitly trust the Greengrass heiress as he and Daphne soon followed suit.

The three soon found themselves in a familiar hallway in the castle. Harry landed in a heap as he was not used to this procedure while Daphne landed someone mildly and Albus appeared to descend down gracefully.

"Where and when are we?" asked Daphne impatiently. Albus attempted to calm her by smiling but it appeared that his efforts had the opposite effect as the girl's glare went back to full force. Deciding to cut his losses, Albus simply answered the question.

"We are at the third floor landing of the Grand Staircase. The year is 1977." Daphne's eyes narrowed at the old man's answer. Meanwhile, a dazed Harry picked himself up from the ground and looked around confusedly.

"Wh – Where are we?" he asked after getting his bearings. Daphne answered before Albus had time to process the question.

"Remember what I called the basin? We are in a pensieve." Harry nodded with some recognition, having been told of the strange device from one of their prior sessions.

"Wait, aren't pensieves green? Your family's one is–" Harry began to ask.

"The Hogwarts pensieve is a special model and thus has a different coloration to the viewing plate." Albus explained, hoping to appeal to Daphne's thirst for knowledge. The girl nodded in understanding, slightly appeased. Albus relaxed a slight bit more as he resolved to ask the paintings about Harry and Daphne's activities together over the past few months.

"OI MUDBLOOD!"

The arrogant voice ripped through the air, drawing our three anachronistic visitors' attention. Along the corridor, a diminutive, frightened girl turned fearfully and looked at the source of the voice. A sneering, strong chinned male walked out into the light, alongside another, thinner and sallow skinned person as well as a few other scruffy looking individuals.

"That would be Anatoly Mulciber, a seventh year and a future Death Eater who is currently convicted in Azkaban" explained Albus. It would be foolish for him to not satiate the young Greengrass's curiosity for now, as if left rampant could possibly derail his more far-reaching plans. "The girl is Mary Macdonald, a fifth year and future potions mistress. As you probably have guessed she is a muggleborn."

Daphne's eyes opened slightly in recognition as she recalled both names. Mulciber was apparently one of You-Know-Who's more powerful supporters, both politically and magically. Fortunately, the death eater's might was matched by his arrogance and was thus caught after a short scuffle against Tracey's father many, many years ago.

Mulciber leered menacingly at Mary, his bloodshot gaze roamed her body in a twisted fashion. "Back for more, I see?" he said, gesturing towards the pack behind him who all guffawed like hyenas. The petite girl attempted to scurry away but was easily noticed.

 **"** **Petrificus Totalus!"**

Mary's body suddenly straightened and fell to the floor rigidly as the Full-Body Bind took hold. Only her eyes could still move, the twin orbs projecting the fear that was evident in her heart. Harry took a few steps forward, intent on trying to help but was stopped by Daphne.

"Don't bother, we don't exist here, remember?" she told him quietly with her head bowed down. He didn't pick up on the wavering in her tone that she was trying to hide her anger and shock from.

"GET AWAY FROM HER!" yelled another voice. Everyone's eyes moved to the corridor and saw the visage of an angry, long haired man. Despite the difference in age and apparel, Harry instantly recognized the face of his fierce godfather, Sirius Black.

"Oh, if it isn't the blood traitor," scoffed Mulciber, "We've got nine men against a stray and some mud, hardly a fair fight, eh?"

Sirius visibly began to shake with rage. "I'm more than enough to take care of all of you on my own." However, his words seemed to have an opposite effect as Mulciber's pack, who laughed freakishly.

"Whatever," Mulciber said after his laughter ceased " **Ossis Protero!"**

Sirius's eyes widened as he jumped widely to dodge the dangerous curse, which smashed into a wall violently.

"What's the matter, blood traitor? Scared to fight back now your boyfriend is Head Boy?" taunted Mulciber. Sirius glared at the accusation but smirked.

" **Ignis Solum!"** cried a voice from behind the Slytherin group. Instantly, flames began to erupt from the floor, causing the green-tied students to jump about to avoid burns.

"Nice shot, Howes!" Sirius called to the brown haired boy who had apparently cast the spell.

"ARGHH!" cried Mulciber, "ATTACK!" His companions did not have to hear twice, beginning to curse and hex their enemies, who returned fire with equally deadly fervour. Harry and Daphne stared horrified, as they watched what they would come to consider as one of the most horrifying events they had witnessed. Amidst the chaos, they spotted no fewer than three casts of the Cruciatus curse, several bone breaking curses and a slew of other mortifying hexes and curses traded in the frenzy that had unfolded.

Smoke abounded what was once a quaint corridor that had now been turned into a warzone in the span of a few minutes, with massive holes and fire in various places, random, summoned items littering the ground and worst of all, the bodies that lay unconscious amidst the brawling. Screams of pain echoed across each corridor as people were cut down or tortured on either side.

" **RAIPA TRIA!"** bellowed a loud male voice. Barely anyone could hear the incantation amid their battles but all could see the three lightning bolts that sprang forth from somewhere off the battlefield. Daphne gasped in recognition of the spell buy frowned as she couldn't place the caster as she watched the three bolts bury themselves at the epicentre of three of the duels. Everyone in the corridor turned their attention to the source of the lightning. Within the dust however, it was impossible to see who the man was.

" **Glacius Solum,"** intoned a quieter but no less enraged female voice from the other side of the hallway. Daphne's eyes widened as she recognized the sound. In a few moments, the flames on the battlefield died down as ice began to form on the floor. Amid the smoke and dusk, no-one noticed the ground freezing until everyone found themselves locked in position.

"Evans!" barked out the first voice urgently. A redheaded blur rushed into the smoke. Quietly, the incantations could be heard muttered as Lily Evans quickly diagnosed and began treating one of the unconscious victims.

"Oh no you don't" muttered a strained Mulciber who had barely gotten to his senses from the fight. He aimed his wand straight at Lily's head.

 **"** **Expelliarmus!"** shouted a nearby voice before Mulciber could cast a spell. Three wands flew towards the source of the voice.

"Good timing, Potter," grumbled the female who had cast the floor-freezing spell. The smoke began to clear, revealing the identities of the first two people who intervened. Mulciber turned his head and laughed.

"I expected as much from Langstrom, but you, Lancaster? Siding with the blood traitors now?" The woman now revealed to be Eve Lancaster glared angrily at the smirking and battered Mulciber. With a familiar (to Daphne) cold fury, she spoke.

"I side with not spilling magical blood, no matter the cause."

As soon as those words were said, the memory dissolved around Harry, Daphne and Albus. A few moments later, the three were ejected out of the pensieve and back into the safe office. Albus sighed very softly as he remembered the bloody battle that day so many years ago as he looked at his two charges. Harry and Daphne were still morbidly pale from watching the confrontation and subsequent battle. Albus picked up on this and waited a while before he spoke again.

"That memory was taken from a painting that witnessed the confrontation. The moment it dissolved was when the teachers had arrived on the scene." Albus explained gently. Harry remained speechless, his eyes staring forward as though he had just watched a horror film. Daphne wasn't faring much better, though she was able to nod in reply to Albus's statement. The old man suppressed a sigh. _"Perhaps that memory was too graphic for them. Hm… no, they need to understand the gravity of the situation."_

"Wh … What … was the outcome? To the fight I mean," asked Daphne, her shaking voice reflecting her current shuddering state. The usually composed Daphne looked dishevelled, her composure all but gone by now. An unfamiliar voice answered her question.

"Thankfully, none of the students were killed during the fight. The most severe injuries were sustained by Sirius Black, David Howes and Jaquen Kirby, all three of whom were struck by a weak Cruciatus. Other who students also required immediate medical care included Stannis Leighman, Hardwin Shafiq and Jeremiah Avery, all of whom suffered bone-breakers at precarious positions. All six were sent to St. Mungo's and have made close to full recoveries after a few days of healing," replied a monotone voice from a wall.

"Thank you, Dilys," said Albus as he inclined his head towards the painting. Neither Daphne nor Harry could move after their harrowing experience and so, neither could see the unusually grim expression on the usually serene Dilys Derwent. Another few minutes went by as Harry and Daphne's horror-struck faces continued to persist. Albus cleared his throat.

"The two of you are probably wondering why I showed you that memory," he said, ignoring Harry's shell-shocked visage. The boy would have to grow up soon, regardless of the path he would have to take. "But before that, allow me to clarify any misunderstandings you may have had about what occurred."

"What you witnessed was the culmination in tension between the upper-year Gryffindors and Slytherins, perpetrated mostly by Mr Mulciber and Mr Black. By my best guess, the tension built up because of the harsher treatment that was perpetrated by the then-Head Boy and Girl, who were, as you probably know, James Potter and Lily Evans. Were it not for their, Zeke Langstrom and Genevieve Lancaster's intervention, the situation could have ended far worse" Harry's eyes widened dramatically at the mention of his late parents as Daphne's eyes narrowed. _"So Potter's parents were bigots as well."_

"Of course, the then head boy and girl are not to blame entirely," continued Albus, ignoring the looks on his students' faces, "As a muggle-born, Lily had faced much prejudice at the hands of the Slytherins of her year, to the point where Horace, Professor Slughorn, only had one option for the male prefect and three options for the female of that year group that he could trust to work with muggle-borns and those considered 'blood-traitors'." Harry's face hardened at Albus's statement as Daphne frowned, her feelings mixed.

"It can also be considered that the perpetrator of this was the bullying conducted by Gryffindors towards Slytherins in the mid-1940s which brought up wizards and witches who rose to power with hate," continued Albus. Daphne nodded, her shock at the scene fading as they began to understand where the old wizard was going with his speech.

"And so we can continue to trace back the cycle of hatred, so to speak, for many centuries, long before any of us existed. The strange thing though, is that Godric Gryffindor and Salazar Slytherin were the best of friends when they founded the school." Both Daphne and Harry reacted surprised at this newly revealed fact. "And yet somehow, their legacies have hated each other so intently that there have not been any remarkably positive relationships between the two houses since even before I was born." Albus's statement left a stunned silence in its wake. Neither Daphne nor Harry spoke as they processed the information.

"Even pre-existing relationships get damaged irreparably by this 'Curse of Hatred' as I call it, as even siblings or the closest of friendships get torn asunder by it," Albus continued before he turned directly and looked at Harry and Daphne. His next words would have to be worded correctly, lest he jeopardize his plans before they even begin. Fortunately, he had almost fifty years of experience in this field.

"And that brings us to our topic of discussion," Albus said, his face fully turned towards the two students. Albus took a breath. His next words had to worded extremely carefully lest he jeopardize his plans. "First of all, I request the both of you to take power within your respective houses."

"Hold on," said Daphne, stopping Albus in his tracks. Not losing composure, Albus smiled grandfatherly and gestured towards the girl. "I cannot possibly hold enough political power to sway my house mates, especially as people such as Dorcas Selwyn and the Nott brothers lead while people such as Pansy Parkinson and Draco Malfoy rise to take their mantle," Daphne said crossing her arms.

"You should not underestimate your political clout, Ms Greengrass," Albus said, making sure to address the girl politely, "After all, you currently hold sway within the lower echelons of the house, who will one day become the leaders of the house. Remember what happened three weeks ago." Daphne's eyes narrowed to slits as she recalled that particular incident.

"And you as well, Harry," he said, indicating the confused Harry, "You too hold more political power than you realize. I'm certain you remember that eventful outburst in the Gryffindor Common Room you had a few weeks ago." Harry blushed scarlet at the memory. Daphne frowned and made a note to ask him about that event later.

"And so what? Even if we are able to lead our houses, that does not mean we are able to unify the school," Daphne asked, her eyebrow arching challengingly. Albus suppressed the urge to smile. The girl was really too smart for her own good.

"That is where your relationship with Harry here comes in."

Silence abounded in the room for a moment as Daphne quickly worked out what Albus meant. Harry on the other hand continued to look confused as Daphne's expression went from pensive to outright rage. She opened her mouth, about to scream at the old man, when he handed her a small piece of paper from somewhere on the table. The paper was marked with a smooth script with Daphne's name and a jumble of unreadable lines and shapes.

"A letter from your father," Albus said gently. Daphne sent another incensed look at the Grand Sorcerer as she quickly parsed through the 'letter'. It appeared that the text was enchanted to only be readable by a certain group of people. Cyril Greengrass didn't trust Albus, like daughter like father.

From Albus's perspective, the girl cycled from surprise to anger and then to irritated resignation as she read through the contents of the letter. Harry continued to stare blankly at the headmaster as Daphne closed the letter, her lips a thin line that resembled that of Minerva's lips when the transfiguration mistress dealing with the more persistent troublemakers in Gryffindor.

"So you have convinced my father or your proposition," Daphne commented irritatedly. Harry continued to look confused and spoke up.

"Um…" Daphne palmed her face, her usual air of elegance all but gone as she answered Harry's question.

"Thick-headed…" she muttered before looking directly at Harry. Cold fury was building in her eyes as she stared icily into Albus's eyes. "Our _esteemed headmaster_ here wants us to partake in a farcical romantic relationship with one another!"

Harry blinked as his face appeared to fall. Albus's eye twinkled. _"Did you have to explain it like that?_ " Albus watched concernedly at the boy-who-lived as he appeared to look longingly at something beyond the horizon, thinking about the Chang girl perhaps. Albus knew he had to perform damage control quickly.

"Nothing that drastic," he quickly said, drawing both students' attention, "What I am asking is for you two to simply keep the peace between Gryffindor ad Slytherin by using your relationship as a means of deterrent."

Daphne and Harry looked at each other. Albus watched their muted 'conversation', hoping that their senses of morality and yearns for peace would persuade them to agree to the plans.

"If it's for peace…" began Harry uncertainly. Albus smiled gently and watched the Greengrass heir's reaction. He had expected Harry to reply quickly as the boy had so readily inherited his parents' sense of justice. Now it was up to the Greengrass heir's decision. Hopefully, Lord Greengrass wasn't lying in his letter to Albus. Daphne thought for a moment before she spoke.

"Even though I don't believe that your plan will work, given that this 'relationship' is nothing but a farce, I agree to your terms." Harry's jaw dropped somewhat, his face imitating that of a gaping fish, as he stared shocked at the girl beside him. Albus's eye twinkled, the only indication that he too felt as surprised as Harry. Just what was in that letter Lord Greengrass had sent to his daughter that would make the usually proud girl so consenting?

"Is that all?" she asked, somewhat impatiently. Albus suppressed the urge to frown or reprimand the girl for her cheek and instead nodded genially.

"Of course"

At his command, Daphne quickly rose and curtseyed before quickly turning. Harry too rose and bowed clumsily as he followed his friend out of the office. A loud thud signalled the gargoyle's repositioning and the fact that Albus was left alone in his office.

The old wizard exhaled loudly, happy that the meeting was finally done with. It was annoyingly difficult to deal with a neutral or 'grey' person, no matter the age they were. Irksomely, Cyril Greengrass had further complicated the issue by poisoning his daughter against Albus, though, thankfully, not to the extent Tom's followers would have to their progeny.

Albus popped another lemon drop into his mouth as he began to think. With some luck, history would repeat itself and Harry would be able to sway the Greengrass heiress onto the side of light, thus bolstering their forces if the other neutral families were to follow as well. Albus was not lying when he said that the two could possibly achieve this, breaking the literal 'curse of hatred' that perpetuated between the two houses that he had found.

With a small smile, Albus was reminded of another couple many years ago, where a dramatic redhead had constantly admonished her dynamic, dark-haired counterpart for so many years, until their interactions had become almost routine for them. Before long, the pair had fallen deeply in love with one another. Maybe history could repeat again? That would certainly help to resolve their mutual problems.

Regardless however, Harry James Potter had now become a piece too important to sacrifice so easily. Perhaps he instead would be remembered not as a martyr but rather remembered as the man who united the wizarding world against a common threat. And as the man who avenged the death of his close friend, the martyr of the wizarding world, and brought peace to the world.

With another sigh, Albus waved his wand over to a nearby cabinet, revealing and uncorking a bottle of mulled mead. Taking a drink from the bottle, Albus began to think. He now had a monumental task to accomplish: To begin plans to complete the _prophecy_ using another 'chosen one'. _"A general must always know how best to use his troops,_ " Albus thought sadly as he began to work.

* * *

 _Location: Gargoyle Corridor_

Not a word was spoken between Harry and Daphne as they walked down the moving stone staircase that lead to the headmaster's office. Both of them were deep in thought though for various reasons.

Harry was wondering how he would explain the situation to Ron and Hermione, slightly worried that either of them would misunderstand the situation, or worse.

On the other hand, Daphne was busy at work trying to figure out a way to best use her situation, while minimizing the amount of embarrassment that she would have to endure.

"We should try to keep this as quiet as possible," Daphne said as they walked off the stairwell. Harry looked suspiciously at his 'girlfriend' for a moment.

"I don't mind that, but why?" he asked "I thought you were fine with it back then when we were with Dumbledore, what changed?"

Daphne pursed her lips, having mixed feelings about Harry's newly apparent shrewdness. "Dumbledore is plotting something; I know it," she said, scowling. Harry tilted his head in confusion which Daphne ignored. There weren't many things that truly angered Daphne but being used as a piece in someone's plans was one of them and she wasn't going to relent until she figured out what Albus Dumbledore wanted to do.

"Well, I suppose we will be seeing a lot more of each other," Daphne said, "For both of our sakes, remember all that I have taught you." Without waiting for an answer, Daphne walked off, leaving a confused Harry wondering what she was talking about. Daphne walked quickly, trying to put as much distance between her and Harry, when she heard her named called urgently.

"Daphne, come quick!" Tracey shouted from down the stairs. Daphne frowned as she walked down quickly. When she was within speaking distance, Tracey had turned to walk towards the Great Hall.

"I was only gone for a few minutes… I don't know how it happened …" she stammered nervously. Daphne glanced confusedly at her best friend and was about to ask Tracey to elaborate further until she walked into the Great Hall. Her jaw dropped to the ground in shock.

Plastered on each wall and table was an enlarged version of the article, complete with the picture of her and Potter dancing together the previous night. Around each copy, there were dozens of students reading, many of them giggling. Some of the prefects had already begun to try unsticking the articles to no avail.

"Look! It's the queen!" someone shouted, his voice indistinct from the cacophony that the crowd had generated. Everyone's eyes turned towards the embarrassed Daphne. Several of the members burst into further laughter.

"Greengrass and Potter?" someone else remarked before doubling over in chuckles.

Daphne felt the wave of eyes watching her and she began to furiously analyse. As her parents were so important to wizarding society, the upper-class Slytherins would hardly dare to risk their futures simply to embarrass her. The only person who had this luxury would have been Dorcas Selwyn, whose pure-blooded pride would have him rather try to cover up the situation as best he could rather than publicise it, thus ruling out anyone fifth year and above. If Dumbledore as to be believed, the younger Slytherins at the least respected her and thus wouldn't do something so stupidly cruel.

That left the people in her year group. Herself and Tracey were obviously out of the equation and Theo probably wouldn't have done it out of preserving amity. Roper would have been a candidate, except for the fact that she wouldn't have been able to get anything out of this and Millicent was far too nice to do something like this.

This left Malfoy's gang, of which Crabbe and Goyle were far to unintelligent to be able to perform the charms work necessary. Pansy would have been the more likely candidate, except for the fact that Daphne remembered that they hadn't learnt the perma-stick solution in class yet and that Pansy was definitely not a potioneer in training. This left only one option.

"I'm going to kill him," Daphne muttered furiously. Tracey glanced at her friend concernedly as she too came to the same conclusion.

"I don't care if Astoria has a thing for him, or that I could get father to financially ruin him," Daphne said as she thundered out of the room with Tracey in tow.

"He is going to pay!"

* * *

 _Location: Unknown_

 _"_ _Hmm… so is this…"_

 _"_ _Ah hah!_ "

Magni pressed his walking stick on a stone tile in the musty old room, revealing an opening in the rock wall next to him. He couldn't quite remember how long he had been down here, reading through many of the old tomes and reminiscing about the past. It was only until he felt a detection charm's activation did he remember his original goal.

 _"_ _Back then, this stuff was innovative, now it's almost cliché"_ he thought as he made his way through the ancient tunnel. It was by far not the first time he had explored this part of the founder's tower, though it was probably the first time he had visited this place alone.

 _"_ _Still though, Sal, did you have to make the path so convoluted?"_ he thought with a sigh _"It's not like you don't have protections against people you don't allow into your sanctuary."_ The old man chuckled slightly as he imagined what the paranoid herpteophile would have retorted with.

Another boulder rolled past the old man, forcing him to point the stick towards it _"Bresta"_ he thought idly, causing the boulder to crumble into a fine dust. He continued to walk further until he reached a point with a crossroads leading in three different directions, one upwards to the quarters, one to the Potions laboratory and the last to Magni's destination. He quickly turned to that direction and continued to walk, finding himself go deeper and deeper underground

It wasn't long until the old man found himself in front of a statue of a snake that he had not seen before. Magni frowned, as he looked at the cracks that encircled the once pristine and well-made snake bust. Another sigh and Magni took out an ornate, mask-like object from within his robes.

 _"_ _Kaifang, Xipingshetou – She,"_ he said in Chinese. The object glowed and the mask transformed into that of a snake's head. With this, the old man turned the instrument backwards and spoke clearly

 _"_ _Open."_ However, what came out was not any human language, rather a strange, strangled sounding hiss came from the mask. The eyes of cracked snake bust glowed briefly before it vanished, leaving behind a massive hole in its wake.

"Eat your heart out, Wu," he muttered, staring down the hole. Without another thought, Magni jumped down the hole, his beige cloak fluttering in the winds. A few moments later, he landed with an almighty crash onto the corridor below him.

"I really should not do that again any time soon," Magni said as he performed a diagnostics charm on his legs before he looked around the surroundings. Frowning, he spoke into the mask again

 _"_ _Light."_

Like a series of lights, the pillars around him suddenly got illuminated by green fires which danced in the middle of each pillar. Magni smiled and looked around the now brightly illuminated corridor as he began to walk, taking note of the various carvings and intricate pictures of snakes that adorned the walls. Magni easily stepped through the small gap in the wall of broken rock that blocked most of the passage before he stopped in front of a beautifully made gate with two emerald serpents entwined with one another.

 _"_ _Open."_ The snakes parted and the doors began to open with a loud series of creaks.

 _"_ _Now, Salazar,"_ he thought as he watched the great doors move, _"What were you hiding here from Godric and the others?"_ Another few moments passed and the doors slowly opened. Magni quickly strode into the dais and his eyes widened.

"Oh, Salazar! You didn't!" he exclaimed, unable to contain his surprise and anger as he gazed upon the carcass of a gigantic, twenty feet long snake. He quickly walked over to the dead beast, quickly examining it. Its eyes were gouged out and there was a giant gash on its head but otherwise had no other obvious wounds. It was quite obvious that the snake was a basilisk, given its size and its wounds.

"You insane, blasted…" Magni muttered as he turned away from the fallen behemoth. Pondering on why Salazar Slytherin of all people would place a basilisk in his chamber could be done later. Magni had a more pressing objective to accomplish. He looked around and looked at the stone face that hung on the back wall of the dungeon.

 _"_ _Open up Salazar!"_ But nothing happened. Magni growled _"Speak to me, Slytherin!"_ Silence greeted the old man as he frowned. Even if he hadn't spoken the right words, Magni knew that the magical conditions to open the gate were not fulfilled. And since he didn't want to break down the door... An irritated frown marred the old teacher's face as he decided to cut his losses and pulled out a strange knife.

He cut himself shallowly with the blade, allowing a drop of blood to touch the carvings that were inscribed on the grip.

 _"_ _Hidenjin."_

With a blinding flash of light, Professor Magni disappeared from Britain, leaving no trace of his presence where he had last been.

* * *

 _Spells Used/Mentioned:_

 _Petrificus Totalus – Full-Body Bind Curse_

 _Ossis Protero – Bone Crushing Curse_

 _Ignis Solum – Floor Igniting Spell_

 _Raipa – Lightning Pulse Curse_

 _Glacius Solum – Floor Freezing Spell_

 _Bresta – Old Norse 'Breaking' Spell_

 _A/N: If you were wondering what antichalcum was, it is a metal that nullifies magic that was introduced in chapter 2_

 ** _Next Time:_** ** _Head of the Snake_**


	17. Chapter 17 - Head of the Snake

" _Text"_ – Thoughts

" **Text"** – Spellcast

" _Text"_ – Non-English Words

 _Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, JK Rowling does_

* * *

 _ **Chapter 17 – Head of the Snake**_

 _Date: Thursday, December 27_ _th_ _1994_

 _Location: Outside Slytherin Common Room_

The rest of yesterday passed rather slowly for Harry as he tried to think about how he was supposed to complete what Dumbledore asked of him. It wasn't as if he were some prophesized hero, or anyone particularly special in any case. Just an orphan who somehow survived the killing curse who had some apparently gifted parents who died saving him. And somehow, he was now stuck outside the common room of people who probably wanted him dead, waiting for someone who most certainly didn't want to meet him.

Having nothing better to do he was currently 'studying' the painting of Linfred of Stinchcombe (out of boredom), one of the stranger paintings in Harry's opinion. The painting depicted a strangely jovial-looking person holding what appeared to be archaic glass containers with different colored liquids inside them. However, what made the painting so strange wasn't its depiction but rather –.

"It doesn't move, Potter, you know that."

Harry smiled faintly as he turned around, revealing the speaker was his 'girlfriend', Daphne Greengrass. The blonde looked as elegant as ever and every bit as haughty as usual with her arms folded, a neutral expression donned on her face. She tossed her hair back in her 'signature' manner and looked directly at Harry, telling him to speak.

"Good morning, Daphne _,"_ Harry said in a bad imitation of a cheerful tone. Daphne grimaced as she replied back.

"Good morning, Potter." The pair stood awkwardly facing each other for a few moments as they had done over the past few days. After the news had been unceremoniously dropped on the populace of Hogwarts, the pair had received much praise, scrutiny and everything between from everyone in both houses. Harry found himself on the receiving end of more than a few unfriendly hexes and jinxes from jealous students, which was thankfully quickly quelled by Daphne's presence. Though she did not say so, Harry was sure that the reverse was true as well.

"Well? Ready to escort me to breakfast?" Daphne asked, trying very hard to keep the sarcasm out of her voice. This 'tradition' was actually told or rather given to Harry by, oddly enough, a certain Graham Montague, who was surprisingly supportive of the relationship, despite the man's current captaincy of the Slytherin Quidditch team. When questioned by the pair, he had merely said something about "Doing his great-great-great-granduncle and aunt proud" before walking off, whistling a very uncharacteristically jaunty tune for the gruff boy. Unfortunately, he was one of the very few people who had taken the relationship well by any stretch of the meaning.

The Gryffindor boy held out his arm with practiced familiarity which was received with similar ease by Daphne as they began to walk slowly (yet unsteadily) towards the Great Hall. It was a shame that neither of them looked back as they walked, for they would have found out that Daphne's earlier statement was actually wrong. Linfred of Stinchcombe's usually motionless eyes suddenly came to life, darting around for a few seconds before returning to its original spot, as cold as they usually were.

* * *

 _Location: Great Hall_

"A lot on your mind mate?" Ron asked between bites of toast. Harry looked over towards Ron curiously.

"How could you tell?" he asked. Ron looked strangely at Harry and gestured at the plate in front of Harry

"You haven't touched your food since you sat down," Ron replied before taking another munch of his toast. "What's wrong?" Harry sighed and began to dig into his food.

"Daphne," he stated. Ron frowned as he continued to eat. The redhead was still really unsure about the blonde Slytherin who had somehow wormed her way into their lives. When it was announced (by Malfoy no less) that the two were involved with one another, he was caught by surprise, an emotion that was furthered Harry's bumbling confirmation. In countless other lives, Ron would have begun to shun Harry for being with 'a slimy snake' and even if this one he was sorely tempted to if it weren't for his own guilt when he had left Harry out of jealousy earlier that year. For this reason and a few others, he decided to loyally stay with his friend (while ignoring a voice inside his head which told him otherwise).

Ron finished his fifth piece of toast and decided to think a while before he continued. He cast his eyes diagonally and unconsciously wandered to Tracey sitting next to the slowly eating Daphne. His eyes narrowed as he focused his brain on the blonde. To Ron, the Greengrass heiress was close to his definition of the typical Slytherin, with the small exception that she seemed to actually be helpful to Harry rather than wanting him dead like to rest of the lot. There was also the matter that she was Tracey's best friend who, as Ron had already rationalized, was a decent person at the very least.

With a chuckle, he then recalled the particularly hilarious howler that was sent to Malfoy from the ponce's mother about 'fraternity' and 'self-preservation'. Ron hadn't understood half of what was said but Tracey's later explanations about what happened left Ron clutching his sides in laughter. When he was promised that Malfoy would receive further retribution, Ron was almost ready to pledge the Greengrass heiress in as the next Minister of Magic. Because of this, Ron had decided to withhold judgement about the Greengrass heiress for now and simply stood on guard as he watched his friend's back.

"Where's Hermione?" Harry asked after a while. Ron froze for a fraction of a second, breaking out of his thoughts, but decided ignore the question as he continued eating. Harry looked curiously at Ron but the redheaded boy did not notice as his mind was now at work on a different matter.. Since the night of the Yule Ball, Ron and Hermione had been continuing to avoid one another after an 'argument' they had. If Ron thought hardly enough, he could trace that it had all started after they had gotten back from their meeting with the Durmstrang teacher. For some reason which Ron still couldn't fathom, Hermione had decided to drag him around the Hall throughout the dance, even after he had asked her to stop a number of times. When prodded, she had been obnoxiously tight-lipped, thus leading to a confrontation between the two in the common room that same night. What happened after was not pretty for anyone to see but it had lead to Ron not speaking to Hermione for the past few days and his intention to abstain from speaking to her until she explained herself in a manner that he found suitable.

Across the Hall, a quite dissimilar discussion was taking place between another group of people. Daphne and Tracey had just been joined by Sophie Roper, who had a wide grin in place of her usual calculating smile.

"I know your secret," she whispered in Daphne's direction as the black haired girl sat down across from the blonde. Daphne appeared to continue eating, ignoring the information broker. Tracey frowned at this short statement that the grinning, dark-haired girl had made to her best friend. Anyone could have anticipated this to happen this quickly, none more than Tracey, who could only hope that Sophie would not extort her best friend even more.

"What of it?" Daphne asked as she finished a slice of toast. Tracey slowed her eating speed as she analysed her best friend's disposition. It was barely visible to anyone but Tracey could see the faint signs that Daphne was nervous. _"Hmm… she's eating faster, her movements are more rigid than their usual, water-like elegance and her skin was damper than usual, yep, she's nervous alright."_ Outwardly however, Tracey merely frowned as she watched for Sophie's impending extortion. Surprisingly (to Tracey), Sophie's grin relaxed.

"Relax, Tracey, Greengrass," she said, waving a hand lazily at the pair. Tracey let out a breath she had been holding and saw Daphne's movements relax back to their normal pace. Sophie smiled slightly. "Take it as a favour in exchange for another." Tracey sighed as she realized what Sophie was doing.

"Back to your usual extortions Sophie? I thought you stopped that?" asked another voice. The girl in question swivelled around and looked at Theodore Nott, who was standing behind her. Her grin returned in full force as she looked at the boy.

"Oh, you know me," she said playfully and winking at the boy, putting on a mock cutesy pout. To his credit, Theo appeared to give no response to the random by-looker, however, all who were present were able to see the faint red tinge on his face as the boy walked off to sit with some other people, muttering under his breath about something unintelligible. Tracey waited until Theo was sitting down elsewhere before she spoke again.

"You know –"

"Of course I do," Sophie said impatiently, "Just who do you think I am?" Tracey held her hands up in surrender, causing Sophie to frown. "I'm don't … it's just… won't work out anyway…" she muttered softly. The girl looked down at the ground for a brief moment, an action that Tracey had never seen the ruthlessly wry information broker do. The moment passed and like she had been broken out of a spell, the infamous 'Rat' suddenly sat up straighter and sent two cautious looks across the table. Apparently satisfied, she glared momentarily at Tracey before continuing. "Irrelevant to the point," she said, huffing. Sophie pointed at Daphne. "In exchange for my silence, I require detailed information about Potter's plans during the tournament. Those are my terms."

Daphne didn't stop eating but finished her muffin rather quickly. "Those terms are agreeable under one condition." Sophie tilted her head to the side curiously and prompted Daphne to continue. "How would that information help you? As far as I know, you will not be able to monetarily profit from this."

Sophie flashed the blonde a smirk before answering. "Know thyself and know thy enemy, a hundred battles, a hundred victories." Daphne raised a well-groomed eyebrow but Sophie didn't elaborate. Tracey pondered the words for a few moments before she was struck with an epiphany.

"Is there a bet–" began before getting interjected.

"Yes, now keep quiet!" Sophie hissed cautiously. "It's not exactly sanctioned." Tracey frowned but kept quiet as Sophie coughed. "In any case, what are Potter's plans for the second task?".

"I haven't the faintest clue," remarked Daphne dismissively without missing a beat. Sophie gave her a critical glance before sighing in acceptance.

"Fine then, you owe me the information." With this, the black haired girl disengaged from the conversation, deciding instead to eavesdrop on the other conversations on the table. Tracey watched Daphne intently as the blonde girl continued to finish her breakfast. To anyone else, the heiress continued to portray the epitome of elegance as she ate. However, Tracey was beginning to see the cracks in her best friend's façade. Shrugging satisfiedly, Tracey continued her meal. Not a short while later, Daphne stood up abruptly.

"Well, Tracey, we must attend to that matter post-haste!" Daphne's formal statement was betrayed by how rattled she looked, causing Tracey to have to forcefully suppress her laughter as she watched her usually fully composed friend essentially 'freak out' (on her standards). The blonde girl began a brisk walk towards the Gryffindor table, picking up a bewildered Harry Potter and all but dragging him out of one of the side doors. Tracey bit her lip to contain her mirth as she walked over to a befuddled Ron Weasley, who was staring straight at the door that they had just left from while holding a piece of cheese to his mouth. Tracey poked the redheaded boy gently, causing Ron to turn around, his expression dazed.

"Wh … what just –" he said stutteringly. Tracey gestured out of the door and continued walking. A highly confused Ron blinked a few times rapidly before sticking the food in his mouth and followed his friend out of the Hall.

Tracey took a few steps out, waiting for the wood doors to shut after Ron walked through them. Only when Ron walked out did Tracey turn around. His eyes were glazed over, his head tilted to one side as he looked dazedly at Tracey. The redness in his cheeks matched his hair. Coupled with the bits of toast that were stuck on his messy robes and his mismatched biting speed, Ron gave the look of absolute incoordination, causing Tracey to burst out laughing.

"Oh my," she said between peals of laughter, "You look hilarious!" Ron simply got even more confused and continued to munch rather loudly. It took all of Tracey's might to prevent herself from doubling over in pure mirth. A few painstaking moments later, Tracey got herself under control as Ron finished his food.

"So, what was going on?" asked Ron, "I mean, I know they're in a relationship and everything but that was weird, even for Greengrass." Tracey frowned at his words and was about to reply when they heard Daphne shout from down the hallway.

"What do you mean you haven't done anything for the second task?!" yelled a reasonably irate Daphne Greengrass. Harry was having trouble not cowering at the fury that was he fearsome display female might, his gaze slightly averted towards the ground. Tracey and Ron quickly rushed over to the pair.

"Um… I had a lot of homework…?" muttered a nervous Harry, in stark contrast to the fearless warrior that had once faced a fearsome Chinese Fireball in direct combat.

"That is not a valid excuse!" exclaimed Daphne. Luckily for all those involved, there were no other people present in the hallway for most were still eating breakfast or otherwise studying.

"I'm sorry?" questioned Harry, this time more determined to hold his ground. Daphne stared right back at him, a flicker appearing almost phantasmally for a moment before her angry glare returned.

"Never mind that," she said with a huff, "It appears that I have to once again assist you through this. Tracey, Weasley, we shall adjourn to the classroom. Without another word, she grabbed a hold of Harry and dragged him in the direction of their usual practising room.

Ron stood dumbfounded at the scene. "Did I miss something?" he asked cluelessly towards Tracey. The chestnut haired girl shook her head, causing him to shrug and follow in their footsteps, leaving Tracey temporarily alone in the corridor.

" _I've never seen Daph like this,"_ she thought excitedly _"This is really going to get interesting!_ " Giggling, Tracey quickly scurried forth to their destination.

* * *

 _Location: Outside Classroom 1D_

"OH YOU HAVE GOT TO BE…" yelled Daphne. Harry and Ron watched flabbergasted as the usually unflappable blonde heiress went on a colourful rant as she read through the note posted at the door of the classroom.

"Too many holes?! Our **Refilling Charms** were perfect!" Daphne continued. Tracey bit her lip to control herself as she read through the notice herself.

"Hmm…" she hummed as she read through the note. "Well, it looks like Flich banned us from the room because of the 'mess' we made," she explained to the boys. They nodded in understanding.

"So we just find another room to work in, what's the problem then?" Ron said, edging away from the frenzying blonde. Tracey smiled gently.

"Even if we could find one that isn't in use by clubs or other teachers, we need to find a place to practise that has a large open area for our uses and has strong enough structure to withstand our spells," she explained, taking a moment to think before she continued. "The only rooms I can think of would be down in the dungeons but I am quite sure that Professor Snape wouldn't lend any to us, nor would you two want to be down there anyways."

Ron and Harry nodded quickly synchronically in understanding as Tracey elaborated. "Ideally, the place would also be concealed or somewhat difficult to access so that people won't randomly wander into or be able to spy on our training. It'd be nice if there were also targets or other training equipment but as far as I know, none of those are accessible by non-N.E.W.T. D.A.D.A students."

Ron and Harry glanced at each other. What Tracey was describing did seem like a perfect place to train and both of them had one place in mind that fit the description. Harry grinned at his friend, who whitened comically.

A few paces away, Daphne's tantrum was still in full swing "… And how does he even break those charms? He's a squib for crying out loud?!" However, her cries were essentially ignored by the others who were deep in conversation.

"Oh, no," Ron said after a while as he took a step back, "I am not going down there again." Tracey gave a confused look to Ron, which he didn't notice.

"Why not? It'd be the perfect place, Ron," retorted Harry. Tracey's curiosity grew by the second as she watched the exchange.

"Last time we were down there; we were almost killed!" exclaimed Ron gesturing wildly. From across the hallway, Daphne's tantrum had begun to fade as Harry sighed.

"You just got knocked out, Ron, Hermione carried you out after that. On the other hand, I almost died," Harry said reassuringly. Ron looked owlishly at Harry.

"Wait… what are you talking about?" he asked strangely. Harry gave him a curious look.

"The rooms we had to go through back when we were finding the Philosopher's Stone, why? I thought that would work out." Ron began to smile, his eyes opened wide with hope but then his grin dropped as he began to frown.

"That would have been a good idea, 'cept Dumbledore collapsed one of the rooms after he got you and Quirell out," Ron revealed grumblingly. Harry mimicked his friend's frown as he realized that his idea wouldn't work. Tracey watched the exchange, impressed.

"Um… what place were you thinking of, Ron?" she asked quietly. It was almost surreal to listen to their conversation about their adventures with the Philosopher's Stone, even if she had already heard it once second-hand from Daphne. It seemed amazing that three first-years could have gone through all the tests and trials that various Hogwarts' staff had erected (thought they also put into question how effective those obstacles really were).

Ron's frown deepened. "The Chamber…" he muttered almost inaudibly. Harry's eyes shone as the statement, much to Tracey's surprise.

"Good idea Ron! That'd work perfectly!" he exclaimed before he put a hand over his mouth. Daphne had walked back towards the group curiously as Ron looked mortified at the prospect which further stirred up both girl's interest.

"Where are you two talking about?" Tracey asked curiously. Harry and Ron looked directly at her, their expressions directly opposite of one another. Harry looked immensely excited, almost ecstatic while Ron's visage was the definition of morose and apprehension.

"The Chamber of Secrets!" Harry said enthusiastically, causing Ron to groan as Daphne and Tracey both gasped in surprise.

"Wait… WHAT!?" screamed two voices at once.

A few moments later, Tracey calmed down enough. Daphne too had regained her usual composure and glared questioningly at Harry.

"You have some explaining to do, Potter," hissed Daphne. The boy in question gulped audibly as the girl began to walk towards him menacingly. Unable to control himself, the nervous boy quickly spilled a brief recount of the events that had transpired two years ago, glossing over the portions which Dumbledore or Hermione had 'classified'and Ginny's involvement in the matter.

"So you're telling me," Daphne began after hearing the whole story, "That the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets, our founder's great legacy, is hidden in a broken girl's bathroom?!" Her yells echoed throughout the thankfully vacant hallways before silence took hold again. Harry and Ron nodded nervously as Daphne's expression grew more and more incredulous.

"I …see… you two are pulling my leg aren't you?" she asked quietly. "Alright then, take us to the Chamber then, if you would" she said in a sickly sweet tone.

"Um… We can't," explained Harry nervously. Daphne arched an eyebrow at him, as if daring him to defy her. "What I mean is we can't get back up the pipe after we go down, last time we had Fawkes to assist us," he quickly elaborated. Daphne sighed, walking over and flicking the boy in the head.

"Potter, we are wizards and witches, are we not?" Daphne asked, speaking in a tone that one may use to talk to a five-year-old, "Don't you have anything that could help you ascend? Like a broomstick?" The words had an electric effect on Harry as he jolted in surprise. The blonde sighed in irritancy. "Very well, we shall convene at the entrance in fifteen minutes, bring your best broomsticks and the egg." Her commanding words got both Ron and Harry to quickly leave, rushing away to Gryffindor Tower as quickly as they could to avoid Daphne's impending wrath.

Meanwhile, Tracey had clamped a hand over her mouth, chuckles escaping from her lips as she watched her friends flee in terror.

* * *

 _Location: Moaning Myrtle's Lavatory_

A pair of very exhausted Gryffindors ran down the stairs in a turret tower, whose name has been long lost in the recesses of time and now commonly dubbed 'Moaning Myrtle's Tower', named after the ghost who haunted (and never seemed to leave). In front of the lavatory was an impatient Daphne Greengrass and relaxed Tracey Davis.

"You two are late," Daphne said sneering as the boys arrived, "I told you to reconvene in fifteen minutes, not seventeen." Too out of breath to reply, Harry simply gestured into the bathroom. Daphne strode in gracefully, looking around the lavatory that had been out of order since more than fifty years prior. The toilet was far larger than expected, though the decades of neglect showed on the yellow walls and ceiling that it housed. Strangely, the entire room resembled that of a keyhole, which Daphne only realized after Harry and Ron had staggered in, still out of breath.

"Well? I'm waiting," she said haughtily. Harry and Ron glanced at one another. The few minutes of reprieve had severely reduced Harry's terror of the Slytherin witch and his irritation of the bossy blonde was beginning to seep in.

"I still don't believe you two," Daphne continued, ignoring Tracey's "I do!" in the process as she continued her speech. Harry frowned, a strange desire to prove himself right flowing through him. No, it wasn't that. It was the desire to prove Daphne wrong that drove Harry, who walked a few steps forth to a sink.

"I mean, really Potter? The great Chamber of Secrets' entrance housed in a –"

Harry unconsciously let his irritation at Daphne flow through him. Not even needing to look at the snake shaped carving on the tap, he let out a strangled hissing sound.

" _Open._ "

Daphne stopped mid-sentence as her jaw dropped. Tracey too gasped in surprise as she watched the entire tap shine in a brilliant white light before their eyes. It began to rotate, gaining speed every second as the sink around it disappeared into the depths below, revealing a wide pipe. From underground, a foul smell escaped, a sign that no-one had been down there for a while.

"Oh Morgana! It reeks!" exclaimed Tracey as she wrinkled her nose. Daphne quickly closed her slack jaw and simply stared stunned at the sight before her. Harry couldn't resist giving the blonde a victorious smirk.

"Well, the Chamber is just down there," Harry explained flatly as he pointed down the chute. Daphne recoiled slightly as she imagined herself sliding down what was most certainly a filthy pipe only to remember that whoever installed the pipe would probably have warded it against grime.

"Well then, ladies first?" Ron asked queasily. It was quite obvious that he still had bad memories of the place. However, Tracey wasn't going to give him slack and instead gave him a gentle shove down the pipe.

"AHH" he screamed as he hurtled downwards. Soon, his screams lowered in volume as he moved farther and farther from them.

"And he calls himself a Gryffindor…" muttered Daphne, drawing a look from Tracey. Harry frowned and lowered himself into the pipe. Another moment later, he disappeared without much of a sound.

"Well then Daph, we better go before Myrtle comes back," Tracey said gently. Daphne paled slightly and briskly walked to the pipe and lowered herself into it, sliding down it in a matter of seconds. Chuckling, Tracey soon followed suit.

The quartet soon found themselves in a dark, rank tunnel, cleaning off the slime they had accumulated as they slid down the old pipe.

" **Lumos Leonis"** incanted Daphne. A small figure of yellow light burst forth from the tip of Daphne's wand, coalescing into the shape of a feline. The miniature lion roared softly and gave off more light, thus illuminating the tunnel to its fullest. Now, everyone could see the eerie green glint of the walls. Harry and Ron staved off their impressed feelings as the too looked around.

"This place still gives me the creeps," commented Ron. In the distance, they spotted the moulted basilisk's skin, a sight which caused Ron to turn as vividly green as it's scaly remains. A soft howl emitted from the conjured lion as it walked further into the tunnel.

"Woah!" exclaimed Tracey as she spotted the large portion of caved wall that lay just beyond the shedded basilisk hide. "What happened here?" Ron and Harry shared a quick look.

"Lockhart," they commented flatly. Tracey's mouth squeezed itself into the shape of an 'o'.

"Well, it wouldn't do to leave it here," Daphne said, "After all, it is our founder's greatest legacy." With a swish of her wand, she shouted **"Bombarda Maxima"** , blasting apart a big section of the broken masonry. The boys were silent at the brief display of Daphne's ability, though Tracey tutted.

"Geez, Daph, did you need to be so violent?" she joked as the dust cleared somewhat. Daphne arched an eyebrow in response. Tracey shrugged and drew her wand.

" **Reticulum,"** she incanted, pointing her wand at the various fragments of the stone that still remained on the ground, **"Raipa!"** The flash of electricity from her wand leaped out at the closest stone fragment, before bouncing towards the next piece, to the next and so forth. In a matter of moments, the floor was clear of broken rock, leaving a fine sheet of dust on the floor instead.

"Good, now all we need to do is fix the ceiling later," Daphne commented as she walked forward. Ron and Harry's eyes were widened in awe at the efficient nature of the two Slytherins (as well as the fervour they displayed when it came to their house's legacy). The two boys followed in suit until they were stopped yet again their next obstacle.

"Let me," said Harry as he walked to the front of the giant stone doors. Daphne huffed quietly, much to the amusement of both Gryffindor boys. The basilisk-slayer stood before the impending gates once again, feeling oddly calm as he looked up at the emerald-eyed serpents that guarded the gates. With another hiss from Harry, the stone snakes separated and the door split down the middle, revealing the dimly lit chamber behind it.

Daphne and Tracey could to help but gasp in awe as they walked into their house founder's most well-guarded legacy. The stone snake carvings on the walls and pillars seemed to call out to them, staring deep into their souls as if judging their worth. Another few steps lower brought them level with the dais that stood at the centre of the chamber.

"Potter, can't you make this place brighter?" asked Daphne. The previously brightly glowing lion-like apparition had now dimmed severely in comparison to before, the figure now adopting a more incorporeal gas-like appearance. Harry frowned.

"Erm… Light?" Harry said, looking around.

"Still English, Potter," Daphne said with a hint of frustration. Harry responded by frowning before trying again.

" _Light!"_

At once, the pillars that surrounded the chamber became illuminated by bright green fire, accentuating the greenish glow that was already present. By now, the chamber's insides became fully visible to its occupants, the many cracks and rat skeletons that lay scattered across the ground becoming very readily apparent. However, most obvious of all was the enormous corpse of the basilisk that lay on the sold stone floor, just a few meters away from the colossal stone replica of Salazar Slytherin's signature scowl.

"You killed that?" Tracey asked incredulously to Harry. The boy nodded slowly. Scary, adrenaline-filled memories began to flow through his once more as he stared at the hollow sockets that once housed one of the most dangerous natural objects known to wizardkind. Even in death, the basilisk still remained as terrifying as ever.

"Alright Potter, I have no choice but believe your tale…" muttered a stunned Daphne as stared at the monolithic basilisk. Harry uncharacteristically smirked as the blonde girl coughed once to regain her composure. "Well, this place is definitely suitable for training, even if it is a Gryffindor who …" A large frown developed on Daphne's face as stopped in her tracks, shock and fear developing on her expression. Quickly, she turned to Tracey.

The brunette stood up straighter, her face mimicking Daphne's as she began to speak in a cool tone. "Yeah, wait a minute, shouldn't this place be considered like sacred ground for us Slytherins or something?" she thought aloud. Harry and Ron were fixated by dual glares from the girls as they shuffled nervously at this exchange. Daphne and Tracey then looked at each other in seemingly deep thought, as if they were seriously considering banishing the boys from the room. Harry knew he had to do something fast.

"Well," he began. Daphne and Tracey turned their scrutinizing gazes to him directly, causing the boy to falter in his words. He cleared his voice and began again. "Well, I'm the only Parselmouth in the school, so you two won't be able to access the Chamber if I don't come along anyways." The girls' gazes softened almost immediately, both of them feeling impressed at what Harry had just said.

"Blackmail, Harry?" Tracey asked teasingly. "Well, Parseltongue doesn't seem too difficult to imitate, let me try." The girl put down the broomstick she was holding, allowing it hover in mid-air as she grasped her own neck, letting out a few short hisses.

" _Almond zenith approach,"_ she unintentionally said. She turned to Harry, who shook his head in response.

"You said 'almond zenith approach', whatever that meant." Frowning, Tracey tried again, this time loosening her grip on herself.

" _Rabid Vinegar Waltz."_

Harry chuckled as he heard her words. Tracey's frown deepened considerably and she tightened her own hold on her throat.

 _"Self, Weasel Adore. "_ Harry burst into rancorous laughter after he heard what Tracey said out loud, much to the confusion of everyone else.

"I'm not translating that," he said after a while, still gasping for air amidst his mirth. Tracey pouted and her grip on her throat completely slacked.

"Well I guess that idea is a bust," she said "You'd either have to get really lucky or be a parselmouth to get through." Daphne nodded in a sombre manner, as if she had to go through great personal lengths to say what she was about to say.

"Very well then, as we must preserve our founder's legacy, I shall allow the two of you Gryffindors passage into our sacred chamber," she said dramatically. Harry and Ron had to try their hardest to not start giggling at how the two girls were acting, instead nodding gently as they tried to reduce their shaking to a minimum.

"Well then, now that that's out of the way," said Tracey, turning towards the monkey-like visage on the wall, "Harry, can you open that? It's where the basilisk came from right?" Harry nodded and walked up to the stone face. Much like the other carvings in the room, the 'eyes' of the figure appeared to judge Harry as he stepped up towards it. With a soft gulp, he wracked his brains for the command that Tom Riddle had used two years ago.

"Err… _Speak to me Slytherin, greatest of the Hogwarts four._ " The enormous statue stood silent for a moment and Harry wondered if his memory was incorrect. Another moment later, a deafening creak sounded and the 'mouth' opened, revealing a gaping black opening into the inside of the chamber. A gasp of wonder came from behind him as the path was revealed.

"Woah!" Ron exclaimed, his earlier reservations seeming all but lost. Everyone else was stunned speechless, simply gazing into the dark tunnel that the basilisk once lay. The stagnant air began to flow out of the hole, filling the chamber once more with an ancient stench. Gritting her teeth soundlessly, Daphne walked forward, softly casting the Lion's Light Charm into the passageway. A strange feeling enveloped her, enticing her to step forward. Without a word, the blonde complied, dropping her broomstick onto the stone floor.

"Wait… Daphne!" called out a concerned Tracey as she watched the light fade away as Daphne walked deeper and deeper into the recesses of the artificial cave. Her broomstick too clattered onto the ground as she gave chase to her best friend. A few moments later, a gasp was head. Hearing this, Harry quickly grabbed his best friend by the arm and dragged him in after the two girls, dropping their brooms as well.

"Ach… Harry! Let go!" he cried out, "Why're you dragging us into the snake pit?!"

"It's not a snake's nest … well, not just the basilisk's nest," quietly said Tracey when the boys got close enough. Daphne's light illuminated the end of the tunnel, which revealed a hole in the ground, filled with small corpses of many kinds. However, what was stranger was the currently ajar door which the blonde had obviously walked through. A green glow was coming from inside.

Filled with curiosity, Harry and Ron followed Tracey into the door, only to let out a gasp in surprise. Unlike the rest of the chamber, this room was brightly lit with a roaring green hearth. Daphne was currently pouring over what seemed to be a collection of odd sheets of paper that lay upon an emerald green and silver table. A few paces away, another door lead to another room.

"The brown-haired girl is correct," said a deft voice from behind all four of them. Each wheeled back on their heels, wands drawn as they spun, only to find nobody there.

"Up here," the voice called once more. Each gaze sharply upturned to see a portrait of a monkey-faced man with a thin smile on the wall adjacent to the ceiling. Gazes ran wide as all four children recognized the signature expression of one man as they met the painting's smirking smile.

"As you should already have guessed by now," the painting said, "I am the apparition of Salazar, Lord of House Slytherin, and this is his private study."

* * *

 _Spells Used/Mentioned:_

 _Repleo – Refilling Charm_

 _Lumos Leonis – Lion's Lighting Charm_

 _Reticulum – Targeting Charm_

 _Raipa – Lightning Pulse Curse_

 ** _Next Chapter: Premonition_**


	18. Chapter 18 - Premonition

" _Text"_ – Thoughts

" **Text"** – Spellcast

" _Text"_ – Non-English Words

 _Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, JK Rowling does_

* * *

 _ **Chapter 18 – Premonition**_

 _Date_ _: Saturday, December 31_ _st_ _1994_

 _Location: Unknown_

" _In the year 1995, Harry loses something but isn't that unhappy with it;_

 _In the year 1995 Hermione finds something else, earlier than expected but not by much;_

 _In the year 1995, Daphne takes a nap, Tracey falls and Sophie loses a bet;_

 _In the year 1995, Dumbledore fails, Malfoy too, but Snape doesn't. Barely;_

 _In the year 1995, a madman dies, another reborn and a third reforms;_

 _But more on that on a future date."_

* * *

 _Date: Thursday, December 28_ _th_ _1994_

 _Location: Salazar Slytherin's Private Study_

"I am the apparition of Salazar, Lord of House Slytherin, and this is his private study."

The slightly raspy words that came from the painting echoed across the dungeon-like landscape of the room. Harry, Ron, Daphne and Tracey were stunned speechless, their mouths ajar and gazes faraway. An almost familiar smirk creeped through the painting's face.

"Stunned speechless?" it asked in an almost mocking tone. When it received no reply, the painting laughed out, the rich sound filling the dungeon floor. His eye's wandered the room, carefully scrutinizing its occupants with his critical gaze. The quartet couldn't resist straightening up more in the presence of the authoritative look that they were given. Suddenly, he stopped as his eyes wandered towards the red and gold ties that hung from Ron and Harry's necks.

"Gryffindor," he murmured. The painting's expression darkened considerably, filling the room with a thick tension. Harry and Ron subconsciously held their breath, becoming increasingly self-aware of their surroundings and immediate peril. A lump formed in their throats as they realized that they had no method of escaping their possible doom.

Beside them, Daphne and Tracey were under similar straits. They felt that they had, essentially, let a pair of enemies into what could be considered the most important sanctum of their house. Were this a religion, it would have been like inviting a pair of devils to the Vatican. Needless to say, they were frozen with foreboding of what their obviously irate house founder would do to them. The tension climbed as the painting of Salazar Slytherin stared down at the four fourth-year students, each with their minds racing to fix or escape their current solution. A few moments passed as beads of sweat formed on each of their brows, their hearts pumping far faster than usual as they gazed frightfully into the dark circles that were the painting's eyes.

"Wonderful!" it declared, much to the surprise of all those present. "It's good to see that Godric's brood have finally reconciled with mine!" All those present's jaw dropped once more at the exclamation, which Slytherin's painting followed by muttering "Did that brat's insane idea actually work?"

Four pairs of eyes blinked synchronically in disbelief as the ancient painting began a hushed rant on "that barmy brat" and "no sense of self-preservation". This continued for a few minutes before the painting seemed to suddenly remember that there were four people in front of it.

"Ah! Baffled young people, my favourite," he said with a hint of sarcasm. Looking around the room, he frowned. "Which one of you is Slytherin's current heir?" Another round of blinks answered his question, causing another deep, monkey-like frown to mar his face. "That is … disconcerting. The wards on the chamber must be wearing off." Shaking his head a few times, he gestured towards Harry, who was closest to the painting. "You, parselmouth, what is the current year?" Caught off-guard by the sudden pinpoint, Harry quickly answered.

"1994." A strange sound came from the painting, a bit of a mixture between a snort and a sneer.

"Very irritating but of no consequence at current," he said. Once again pointing at Harry, the painting of Slytherin asked "You have a question, state it, _speaker_." Harry shuffled around nervously as everyone in the room began to look at him.

"How did you know I was a parselmouth?" he asked after a few seconds. Daphne almost hit him for his disrespect, though that was stopped as the painting snorted.

"A foolish but expected question," he said "I suppose you have never met another speaker but it is easy to tell from the inflections that you use. In addition, you were the one who spoke when you accessed the chamber two years prior when you slew that foul monstrosity as well as when you accessed the chamber this day. Thus I could recognise you voice." Harry nodded in understanding, now with some intention to go to the library to learn about the archaic language. Slytherin looked satisfied and he looked around the room. While the blonde and the redhead still remained almost statuesque stillness, the brunette was immensely fidgety. A small smirk crossed the figure's face as he gestured to the girl. "The perceptive brown-haired girl, your query."

Without missing a beat, Tracey quickly asked. "How do you have a painting of yourself? If I recall correctly the potions and charms to make magical paintings were not invented until the thirteenth century, at which point you were most probably dead. I know of other portraits of yourself and your contemporaries in the castle proper but none of them are capable of movement." Immediately after she finished, Tracey clamped a hand on her mouth, embarrassed that she had babbled so much. Slytherin's portrait clapped slightly.

"A good question, even if it were more of Rowena's choice of topic. As expected of one of Slytherin's house members." Tracey went slightly red but seemed to puff up slightly at the praise as Slytherin went on with his explanation. "You are correct in the sense that the capabilities of magical portraits were not invented until after Slytherin's death but you are incorrect in assuming that this frame was created as a portrait of myself. It is rather an early prototype of a communication mirror you brats have been using that was developed by Rowena." Daphne, Tracey and Ron all nodded understandingly as Harry carried on with his dumbfounded expression. Lord Slytherin looked disappointingly at the pair of Gryffindors. "Allow me to postulate, you raised by muggles, were you not, young speaker?" Harry looked down in shame. Slytherin sneered.

"Disappointing," he said. His lips upturned slightly as he said "Ironic, but disappointing." Turning back to the rest of the group, the apparition continued. "During the great war, we required an easy means to transport information across multiple fronts. Of course, Rowena was the one to come up with an idea and Godric the one to test it out first. However, it was Slytherin who used this 'device' most often as the _Master of Whisperers_ and thus the only one that retains his magical essence and still functions to this day," it explained. "Afterwards, the frame was resized and Slytherin had it kept as a memento, leaving it here at the front of this study so as to watch over his heirs for all eternity." Seeing as the figure was not explaining further, Tracey stopped fidgeting. The smirk was replaced by a frustrated frown. The expression on Slytherin's face noticeably darkened as he once again looked around the room with a steely glint in his eye. In an instant, the battle-worn visage of Salazar Slytherin seemed to come to life, a glare seemingly piercing deep into each person. With a low hiss, every stoke snake in the room appeared to come to life as well.

"Now a question from myself, to what purpose are you four in my chamber? Though I would most certainly welcome the heir, it does not seem that he or she is able to present themselves." Though the words were said without malice, the sheer pressure that Slytherin created with his voice sent rest of the room's back into frightened silence. While still noticeably shaking, Daphne spoke up.

"O, Slytherin, greatest of the Hogwarts Four," she began with the most regal tone she could muster as she tried her best to stop trembling, "I am Daphne Queenie, Heir Presumptive of House Greengrass. My companions and I have come to thy chamber for…"

And so she explained the situation, to her usual standards of comprehensiveness, to the founder of her house. Everything from the events that had transpired during the night after the World Cup final to the Triwizard Tournament itself was quickly (in Daphne's standards) babbled out to the wizened spy.

"… and so we had decided that this would have been the most suitable location to conduct our operations. Once more, I beseech thee to allow us to use the sacred chambers, for so I and my friend Tracey may …"

Slytherin held up his hand, signalling the blonde to stop in her tracks. Surprised but keeping composure, Daphne closed her mouth, nodding gently towards the ancient device that housed Slytherin's spirit. The monkey-faced man's face stilled for a moment before he let out another scrutinizing look at the occupants of his study. No-one made any sudden movements for they immediately felt a wave of danger, as though they were prey that had been spotted by a predator.

Daphne once again stepped forward while no-one else could make a move. Privately, all were amazed by her show of bravery but were presently too occupied with what was about to happen to make any note of it.

"Lord Slytherin, if I may," Daphne said formally. The apparition gestured positively and so the blonde continued. "As a part of my immediate plans, I intend to gain power and take control of Slytherin House within the next few years. Under your blessing, I will do my utmost to accomplish this task." Daphne punctuated the words with a lithe curtsey. The essence of Slytherin snorted loudly.

"Ambition! A marvellous trait to have!" he applauded. Daphne bristled for a moment, which none of her companions noticed. Suddenly, she felt a strange sensation, almost like a rush of wind hit her face. Daphne could not move at all but if she could, she would have seen almost identical looks on she companions' faces as they struggled to breath. Memories of their past seemed to indiscriminately flash in front of them, playing like a tape on reverse. Then, as soon as it had begun, the pressure ceased. The shock of the event sent them reeling back gasping. The apparition of Slytherin did not cease eye contact with the blonde heiress as this occurred. A few terse moments passed as the face seemed to stare deep into Daphne. And then he spoke once more.

"The _four of you_ have made a compelling argument," he said, emphasizing the quartet entirely. The reactions amongst the four were remarkably similar, all facing him with surprised looks on their faces with a hint of nervousness edging into their visages. "I will allow you access to the chamber but not the study under a few conditions." Daphne and Tracey breathed identical sighs of relief.

"First of all, the four of you must enter and exit as a four, no more and no less," he said. "The reason for this is simple and you should be able to understand why." The quartet nodded, Harry and Ron later than the other two. "The second condition is more complicated and equally important." With these words, the pressure in the room redoubled, as if Slytherin was trying to force the information into their minds. "Under no circumstances are you to allow anyone, teacher, ghost or student to know about the chamber without my express permission."

The thunderous words echoed through the dark hallways. Suspicious looks wormed their ways onto Harry and Daphne's faces while a confused expression marred Ron's. No-one was brave (or stupid) enough to speak up as Slytherin's face took on the angry scowl it had displayed a few minutes earlier. The stone snakes let out another hiss of anger in resonance with their master's rage.

"Slytherin's great house, once a thriving group of ambitious, clever young people has been corrupted into a cesspit of bigots, frauds and cowardly lackeys. Salazar Slytherin hates muggleborns? Hah! Godric Gryffindor, his best friend, was a muggleborn! Greatest of the Hogwarts four? What a farce!" A loud, almost boisterous laugh came from the frame. A cautious step back was taken by both Harry and Ron, worried that they had somehow upset the Slytherin founder whose rant was only escalating in ferocity.

"We stood as four, lived as four and fought as four. We were the only survivors against that madman's first assault! No single part greater than any other!" Slytherin's angered face calmed somewhat after he finished his roaring speech. He looked towards the four in front of him. "My apologies, I let my irritancy overwhelm myself for a moment." A few brief moments of silence followed, with Daphne and Tracey mulling over the information with looks of surprise on their faces. Salazar Slytherin was one of the pioneering Occlumens of his day, for his emotions to break through like such … just how enraged must he actually feel?

"Very well then. Daphne, heir to House Greengrass, I informally nominate you to temporarily act as my proxy until my heir shows him or herself. If you are able to take control of my house from the fiends that have poisoned it, I will grant you my blessing to use the chamber and its resources as you see fit" A strangely hearty laugh sounded from the frame as he said this, the previously harrowed look on his face now grinning cunningly. "That family has been a thorn in my side for almost a millennium. Armand, that bloody bastard, was a worthy adversary in his day but his descendants…" A sneer of disgust flicked through Slytherin's face. Daphne nodded once and curtseyed.

"By your leave, milord," Daphne intoned softly. The apparition thinned his lips.

"A few words of advice, my proxy. First: Remember Corvinus Gaunt. Secondly, remember all that I have said. That is all, now begone!" As quickly as he had appeared, the figure in the frame faded away. Moments later, the four felt a blast of wind pressure on themselves, unceremoniously ejecting them from the confines of Slytherin's study. Unlike the well-lit study, the hallway was plunged back into darkness as the door closed.

"Ow!" exclaimed Ron as he collided with the wall at the end of the basilisk's nest. The boy rubbed his behind gingerly as he looked around the dark hall. A loud gasp of pain was heard amidst the darkness.

"Daphne!" called a worried Tracey. Because it was still so dark, Ron couldn't tell what was going on.

"Huh, that's strange," mused Tracey, who had apparently gotten to Daphne's side. The pair continued to mutter for a while before Tracey softly incanted " **Reparo"** , briefly illuminating the dark pit that they were standing in. While that was going on, Ron heard some footsteps from the general direction.

"We can't get back in," called Harry from the other side of the pit. A flurry of footsteps sounded.

"Weasley, make yourself useful and cast a wand-lighting charm," snapped Daphne. An irritated (and slightly embarrassed) Ron harrumphed and incanted the spell. Looking around, he could see that Harry had been referring to the old stone door they had just been flung from.

"Well, we should head back outside then," commented Tracey, "After all, we came here to figure out the clue for the second task, hiding here wouldn't really be much help." Daphne looked coolly towards the stone-face entrance and stalked quickly there. Shrugging, Harry and Ron followed the girl out to the dais of the Chamber where their dropped belongs lay.

"So now what?" Ron asked as they got to the dais. Daphne didn't answer, simply picking up her broomstick and walking off.

"That should be enough for today," explained Tracey as she watched her fleeing friend, "We've got a bit of research to do, Daphne and I."

Ron nodded somewhat unsurely as he turned to Harry. The black haired boy shrugged and they made their way towards the exit of the chamber. A few meters before the exit pipe, Daphne stood, staring intensely at the giant metal tube. When she saw Harry's arrival, she sent him a short glare. Understanding her meaning, Harry spoke in Parseltongue.

"Er… _Up?_ " No response

" _Stairs? Ascend? Return?_ " The silent pipe did not respond.

"Well I suppose a wizard of Lord Slytherin's calibre truely found it unnecessary to implement a simple method to return," Daphne grumbled partly irritatedly, "Well then, our brooms." Without another sound, the four mounted their brooms and ascended the large pipe (the girls with a measure of difficulty. Before long, they made their way back to the surface toilet. Harry and Ron breathed a sigh of relief as they noticed that Myrtle was still away, thus not needing to answer any awkward questions. Daphne and Tracey dusted themselves of quickly, the former about to walk out of the entrance when she stopped abruptly.

"We will meet again in three days. Do make yourself useful and try to figure out the clue or otherwise clear up your schedules. If we," she paused, gesturing to their group, "Are to complete the tasks ahead of us, the two of you must be prepared for anything." Her curt words sent a chill down both boys' spines, causing them to nod quickly out of fear (not that they would admit it to anyone).

"One last thing, make sure you do _not_ mention this to anyone, Gryffindor or otherwise. I will not have my lord's wishes be corrupted" With a tone of finality, Daphne quickly sauntered off towards the dungeons. Tracey gave the pair a two-fingered salute and rushed off after her friend, leaving the two boys behind in the bathroom.

Harry and Ron blinked.

"What just happened?" Ron asked blankly. Harry returned the question with a shrug for he could process what had just occurred. Suddenly, he cried out, dropping his broomstick.

"We didn't do anything about the egg! And I carried it here all for nothing?!"

Ron patted his best friend's back gently in consolation as the pair made their way back to Gryffindor tower.

* * *

 _Date: Saturday, December 31_ _st_ _1994,_

" _Open_ "

Harry, Ron, Daphne and Tracey looked up as they marvelled the serpentine gates' movement as they swung open to reveal the Chamber of Secrets. It was one of those things which seemed to get more spectacular over time and now that they were not here to fight a monster or something, Harry and Ron could (grudgingly) admit that Salazar Slytherin really had a way with making a good entrance for his Chamber.

The past few days had passed without incident, as Harry and Ron were joined by the rest of their dorm to crack down on the homework they had yet to complete. After two days of hard work, the majority of the homework was complete (to what standard however will not be disclosed).

"It's good to be back!" Tracey said brightly as the quartet walked to the Chamber dais. Ron and Harry gave her a strange look but simply dismissed it as her Slytherin characteristics manifesting itself.

"Not really sure why you would want a random tunnel under the school but…" Ron commented foolishly but stopped when he felt his self-preservation instincts kicking in.

"It's a little dirty but otherwise a well-kept chamber," Daphne commented coldly. Ron froze and muttered a quick apology to avoid risking any anger from the blonde or the disapproving brunette behind her. The four quickly walked to the left side of the chamber, thus putting the corpse of the basilisk that lay on the other side of the chamber and far out of sight.

"So, found anything?" Harry asked as he sat himself on a protruded piece of stone. Daphne frowned as she placed herself on the floor instead

"Potter, that's the table, sit on the floor for Morgana's sake." Daphne replied impatiently. Rubbing his head apologetically, Harry compiled with the blonde's request. Daphne turned away, huffing indignantly.

"That means nothing really useful yet," Tracey explained quickly, "Daph is just annoyed we can't find a copy of the first edition of _Hogwarts: A History._ " Said girl glared pointedly at the brunette, causing Tracey to simper cheekily. "And you two?" she asked. Harry and Ron looked at each other nervously before looking away, their gazes not meeting Tracey's nor Daphne's.

"So we have absolutely no progress…" Daphne said slowly. Harry edged back slightly, his sense of self-preservation kicking in. "Fine!" Daphne yelled with a slap on the table. A small cloud of dust formed from the action. "Tell us what you know about the clue and the egg. Do your best to not miss anything, even the slightest detail can be important," she said sweetly. Though her tone was calm, both Harry and Ron were feeling the odd feeling of danger surmounting if they did not comply with immediate haste.

"Well," Ron began "It makes a really loud sound when we open it up, sounded a bit like a banshee, or maybe my brother Percy in the shower." His attempt at humour did not go well as Daphne acidly arched a well-groomed eye-brow in his direction.

"Anything else? Potter?" Daphne asked impatiently. Harry gulped audibly as his mind quickly went into overdrive.

"Er… well… Cedric said something about a … what was it again?" Harry mumbled quietly. A piercing glare from Daphne made him quickly clear his voice. "It was … um … shrunken taker?" Harry's tone betrayed his nervousness, easily spotted and noted by the Slytherin girls. Daphne gave the boy an owlish look.

"Shrunken taker?" she asked with a measure of disbelief. Harry quickly shook his head.

"No, no, it was something else. Can't think of what it was though." Another harrumph from Daphne made Harry bow his head in shame. Ron frowned, his brow creasing thickly.

"Anything else, Harry?" he asked. Daphne whipped her head towards Ron at a speed that seemed would have snapped a normal person's neck.

"You don't know about this clue?" Daphne asked with rhetorical disbelief towards Ron. Quickly turning her head, she glared at Harry. "Do you have a death wish, Potter!? How could you not have at least told Weasley or Granger about this? As much as I hate to admit it, Granger is one of the most intelligent of our cohort." Daphne's rant made Harry mumble a quiet apology, muttering about some confrontation or another which Daphne honestly could not care less about. Suddenly, Harry perked back up.

"Actually, I remember something else too." Harry said with a measure of pride. Daphne arched an eyebrow at him, beckoning him to continue. "Cedric said that the shrunken taker guy had something to do with alchemical elements and a banner or something." Instantly, Tracey sat up straighter.

"Alchemy?!" she spoke out before she could stop herself. Harry and Ron looked queerly at the girl who hadn't spoken much yet. A nod from Harry was all that she needed. A fire seemed to have been lit in her eyes as she quickly took out a piece of parchment and a quill. At this sight, Daphne groaned and sent a weak glare at Harry, who either ignored it or simply didn't notice it as he watched the fanatical brunette draw on the sheet.

"I guess you two don't know much about alchemy since we don't learn it in normal study." Though Ron remained frozen, Harry nodded gently, seemingly ignoring Daphne's frantic shaking of her head. Tracey simpered at her friend. "Oh relax, Daph, I'll only go over the basics, no need to get your knickers in a twist." Daphne frowned, looking away but also keeping silent.

"Anyways, as I was saying, Alchemy isn't taught until at least after N.E.W.T. level, which is a shame but oh well…" A faraway gaze was present on Tracey's face, telling of her apparently 'deep sorrow' at the 'tragedy'. "Anyways, in classical alchemy, there are four physical elements, each representing a state of matter, and one 'metaphysical' one. As you should know, the four physical elements are earth, water, air and fire, each representing solids, liquids, gases and plasma." Harry and Ron nodded as though they understood what was being told to them even if they barely knew what she was talking about.

"The fifth element is 'life' or 'quintessence' which is denoted by something that represents it. The Chinese for instance referred to it as 'wood', the Japanese called it 'void' and the Greeks 'aether'." Tracey continued, her excitement rising. The girl was about to carry on when Daphne held up her hand.

"So, in short, we need to figure out who his 'Shrunken' person is and what his or her banner… oh you mean battle standard," Daphne said, quickly deducing what Harry meant. "Right. Then, all we need to do is–"

"Wait a minute." Ron said, cutting off Daphne. The blonde looked affronted and was about to snap at Ron when he quickly continued. "Harry, did Cedric say a person named 'Shingen Takeda'?" Harry furrowed his brow in concentration. Daphne blinked twice before regaining her composure. She stole a glance towards Tracey, who seemed equally confused (and surprised). A compliant gesture from Harry made Ron begin to grin wildly.

"Explain, Weasley," said Daphne neutrally. Ron's grin widened.

"Shingen Takeda was a warlord from Japan about five centuries ago. Famous for being the only warlord who stood a chance against Nobunaga Oda and Ieyasu Tokugawa during the Japanese _'Sengoku Period'_." Ron explained smugly. "He was also known for his military tactics and his battle standard, which had the word ' _Furinkazan_ ', meaning 'Wind-Forest-Fire-Mountain' in Japanese, written on it, which is a quote from _Sun Tzu_ 's 'The Art of War'." As he finished, Ron lay back, grinning towards the stone ceiling. Daphne and Tracey looked at each other with matching looks of perplexity on their faces. They turned to one another and began speaking rapidly.

"So… how did Hermione enter our sacred chamber?" pondered Tracey. Ignoring the looks on Harry and Ron's faces, Daphne responded.

"Polyjuice Potion?" she asked. Tracey shook her head

"No, the Thief's Downfall we passed would have negated pretty much everything. Maybe she is a descendant of one of those northern–"

"I highly doubt it." Daphne said flatly, cutting of Tracey. The brunette shrugged as the two girls went back to exaggerated thinking poses while Harry and Ron looked on.

"Um…" Harry said after a few moments. Daphne and Tracey looked towards him, breaking out of their stupors. "Ron's been reading a lot about tactics and stuff so maybe that's where he got it from," Harry explained, careful to omit the fact that Ron was only doing so to stave off working on his homework. Daphne arched an eyebrow in clear dubiety. On the other hand, Tracey brightened at this statement.

"Good on you, Ron!" she said, scooting over and clapping the redheaded boy on the back. Ron clambered and turned away, muttering incomprehensively as he did so. If one looked closely, they would be able to see that his face was as red as his hair, a fact that Daphne filed away for later use.

"Anyways," she said with a cough, "Based on Weasley's questionably accurate information," she continued while ignoring Ron's "Hey!", "Takeda's standard had the words for Wind, which I assume means air. Forest would correspond to life, fire is obviously fire and mountain likely refers to earth." Daphne's quick deduction was jotted down by Tracey on the piece of parchment, circling the only unpaired item on the document. "In other words, this only leaves water as the answer to Diggory's riddle."

Tracey tapped the quill's end on the stone table. "Question is, what do we do with water?" Daphne mirrored her friend's look, the irritation she once had having evaporated completely, replaced with a look of concentration that Harry and Ron had never seen before.

"Water could really mean anything, really," Daphne commented. "The clue that Diggory gave may be in reference to liquid water, ice or steam. Additionally, we don't know how water is supposed to fit into the equation here, whether we…" Daphne continued to talk, her words becoming longer and more confusing to Harry and Ron, who gradually tuned her out as they stared at the large golden egg that sat on the table.

Amid the hushed discussion held by the two Slytherins, the golden egg gleamed intently at the Gryffindor pair. The cool, greenish light from the emerald fires reflected off the shimmering gold surface of the metallic object, providing an almost ethereal glow to the object. Ron reached out to touch it. A gasp escaped him as he felt the metal's unexpected warmth.

"Woah, it's warmer than it looks," he commented. Harry mirrored Ron's action.

"Huh, you're right," he replied a moment later. A brainwave hit the both of them in that instant.

"We should just douse it with water!" the exclaimed excitedly. Daphne and Tracey paused their discussion momentarily at the declaration.

"No wait!" Daphne began as she watched as Harry draw his wand.

" **Aquamenti"** he incanted, conjuring a sizable spout of water that almost instantly fell on the egg with a mighty splash. The girls fought the urge to face-fault.

"Of all the inane things to do…" Daphne muttered irritatedly under her breath. However, Ron and Harry seemed to simply ignore her.

"Maybe we should open it under the water?" Ron commented. Harry nodded in agreement and stood up, looking around at their surroundings. The eerily dim cavern brought back some memories of him. Unconsciously, his mind wandered back to the fateful night when he confronted Tom Marvolo Riddle for the third time in his life, fighting Slytherin's legendary monster. His eyes travelled around the chamber, remembering how the basilisk had weaved around the pillars, crushing a few as it moved its powerful body when Fawkes pierced its eyes. The boy shook his head to rid himself of the traumatic thoughts as he walked over to what he was looking for.

"Hey Ron, we could lob it in here," he said, gesturing to a small crater that had formed when the basilisk was thrashing around. Ron peered over to what Harry was looking at and grinned.

"Potter, what are you doing?" Daphne asked cautiously. She was about to reach for the egg to protect it but her hand was stopped by Tracey. Daphne's curious glance was replied by a wink from Tracey.

"Wait a moment, Daph. The boys might be on to something." Daphne shot her friend an incredulous look.

"Without considering the possible outcomes?" she protested vehemently "What if the internal workings of the egg are disrupted because of the water?" However, her words were thrown as caution was to the wind when Ron tossed the egg to Harry. Without another word, the egg was dropped into the water.

"So, now what?" Harry asked off-handedly. Daphne's patience was running thin but could not retort snarkily before Tracey offered her advice.

"Just open it now, that'd probably work." Daphne looked incensed at Tracey, who cheekily smiled back. Harry shrugged and did so as Tracey suggested. Ron quickly covered his ears for good measure as the metal cap of the egg was twisted open. Unlike what had happened when the egg was opened above water, a deathly quiet verse came from the contraption.

"Wait, I couldn't hear it properly," complained Ron. Daphne shot him an irritated look.

"Dolt, just close the egg and open it again, considering it had activated multiple times, there is no reason to believe that it will not work again." With this, she and Tracey got off their seats and walked over to the small pool of water that the egg was currently submerged in. "I've got a pretty good idea of what you're probably going to be facing but to be sure." The two girls dipped their right ears into the pool of conjured water, motioning for the boys to follow suit. After everyone was in position, Harry opened the egg once more, allowing the haunting chant to permeate the water once more.

" _Come seek us where our voices sound,  
We cannot sing above the ground,  
And while you're searching ponder this;  
We've taken what you'll sorely miss,  
An hour long you'll have to look,  
And to recover what we took,  
But past an hour, the prospect's black,  
Too late, it's gone, it won't come back."_

A few moments of silence filled the room. Harry began to quiver slightly as he processed the consequences of the eerie song but went unnoticed by everyone else.

"Ominous," commented Tracey after a few moments. Daphne frowned.

"Well, that doesn't leave very many options for your opponents this round, Potter," she said. Given that the only large body of water nearby is the Black Lake, you will most likely be facing the merpeople population within it."

"There're mermen under the black lake?!" exclaimed an incredulous Ron. A look from Daphne stowed away his scepticism.

"Well, I guess we have our work cut out for us next year," Harry commented as neutrally as he could, casting the time charm in the process. "It's getting pretty late; we don't want to get caught out of our dorms first thing in the year."

A brief look of horror struck Ron's face as he weakly nodded in agreement.

"Very well, we will reconvene in a few days," Daphne said. Turning towards Tracey, "I assume you will be contacting your father?" At Tracey's nod, she continued, "If possible, request for the _Ensiformus_ _Charm_ to be taught to Potter." A brief look of surprise flitted through Tracey's face before she gave a thumbs up to Daphne.

"Sure thing, Daph." The blonde then turned to Harry and Ron.

"Weasley, try to think of strategies for Potter to deal with mermen, grindylows and other aquatic beasts that reside in the Black Lake. Potter, your job is to condition your body in aquatic situations."

The pair of boys grumbled about taking orders from a Slytherin, causing Daphne to bark out irritatedly. "If Potter was more organized, I wouldn't have to do this now would I?" Both boys hastily backed away and picked up their belongings. Tracey snickered at the interactions.

"Aww, Daph! Are you just cranky because Harry is going to have to do something that you don't want?" Daphne whipped her head towards Tracey in a violently quick manner. Regaining composure quickly, she turned to face her broomstick.

"Whatever are you talking about?" Daphne asked in a saccharine tone. Tracey simply grinned wildly without saying anything. Harry and Ron fished the egg out of the pool of water and were walking towards the entrance of the chamber.

"Wait up!" called Tracey, who had picked up her pace as she and Daphne followed Ron and Harry out of the chamber. Without any incident, the quartet reached Myrtle's Bathroom.

"Well, this is it I guess?" Harry said reservedly. Daphne stood awkwardly, as though she was expecting something, while Tracey was finding it difficult to hold in her snickers. "Well, goodbye then!" Without another word, Harry took out the cloak of invisibility from his pocket and enveloped both himself and Ron with a quick sweeping motion, disappearing from sight. Before long, the pair's footfalls could not be heard.

Daphne and Tracey stood silently at the entrance to the toilet, the former staring at the space that was previously occupied by the pair of Gryffindors.

"That moron," commented Daphne quietly when she was certain that the Gryffindors were out of earshot. Tracey's snickers almost turned to full-blown laughter.

"Did you really want a kiss from Harry that much? Daphne! You scarlet woman!" Tracey said with an exaggerated, mocking tone. An unperturbed look was sent her way from Daphne.

"It's a tradition," she said flatly. "The day I want to be kissed by Potter is the day when Herpo the Foul is resurrected from the dead." Tracey smiled innocently.

"Be careful what you wish for, Daph."

* * *

 _Date: Sunday, January 1_ _st_ _1995_

 _Location: Unknown_

" _In the year 1995, Harry Potter will get lost._

 _In the year 1995, Daphne Greengrass will win._

 _In the year 1995, Tracey Davis will learn something, Astoria Greengrass will write a letter, Neville Longbottom will make a very good decision and Theodore Nott takes a gamble;_

 _In the year 1995, Sirius Black gives bad advice, Severus Snape goes on a walk, Cyril Greengrass has a realization and Harrison Davis get a nasty shock;_

 _In the year 1995, a dragon ascends, the dead arise and a cycle continues;_

 _But I am getting ahead of myself;_

 _For now, all you need to know is;_

 _Happy New Year!"_

* * *

 _Spells Used/Mentioned:_

 _Reparo – Repairing Charm_

 _Aquamenti – Water Conjuring Charm_

 _Tempus – Time Charm_

 _Ensiformus – Unspecified Charm_

 _A/N: Feel free to PM me about any inconsistencies or strange details that the chapter has. It was written disjointedly and thus might have some logical errors. Sorry for any possible inconveniences_

 _ **Next Chapter – Blade of Chaos**_


	19. Chapter 19 - Blade of Chaos

" _Text"_ – Thoughts

" **Text"** – Spellcast

" _Text"_ – Non-English Words

 _A/N: Alright, I'll be honest, I wasn't really happy with how the chapter turned out. Hopefully it's better than I actually think it is. As always, feel free to ask if there are any questions. Thanks!_

 _Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, JK Rowling does_

* * *

 _ **Chapter 19 –**_ _ **Blades of Chaos**_

 _Date: Saturday, January 14_ _th_ _1995_

 _Location: Chamber of Secrets Left Hall_

" **Ensiformus"** Harry said softly, pointing his wand out in front of him. At his command, a pale, shimmering golden energy emanated from the wand tip, slowly coalescing into a fine, pointed end which extended about half a meter from the tip of his wand. Harry admired at his handiwork, taking the opportunity to wave his new 'wand-sword' around, much to the amusement of Ron and Tracey.

"Better," commented Daphne from his side, sitting elegantly on a protruded piece of rock. Harry smiled widely at the rare praise he had gotten from the blonde.

"I'd say it's pretty good," remarked Harry, swishing the ensiform energy around and thrusting it in no particular direction. Daphne frowned at Harry's words as she walked over to inspect The boy's work.

"First of all, the blade length is about half of what a standard rapier should be. Additionally, you have not been able to manifest a guard, which would be dangerous for you in most physical combat situations. In any case, manifesting a rapier-esque blade is by far one of the easiest things to do with the charm so don't get it in your head that this is 'good enough', Potter." Daphne's rapid criticism of his work made Harry droop slightly.

"Cheer up Harry," Tracey said from the other side of the room. "At least your blade doesn't have any major faults in it, despite its lack of length length." Tracey looked around to see the others' reactions but pouted when she got none. "You shouldn't expect too much out of yourself Harry," she said gently.

"And you shouldn't coddle him," Daphne countered, folding her arms on her stomach, "Your father was able to master the charm in less than a year, fixing its critical problems and using it in combat within the next. Given how Potter has such an affinity for charms, he should have no problems with this stage."

"And that's why they call my dad the "Lævateinn". Regardless though, you are doing quite well Harry," Tracey said, smirking with pride. Harry brightened slightly and turned to Daphne.

"So now all I've got to do is to hold on to it for above an hour and I should be fine right?" he asked.

"That and also keeping up the Bubble-Head Charm for the same duration," Daphne reminded. After a week's worth of research, the quartet had decided on using the Bubble-Head Charm over the other, limited options that Harry had. Since human transfiguration was out of the question, and all accessible magical equipment they had wouldn't last long enough, the common and simple charm was their way to go.

"A shame that Hermione couldn't help us more," commented Tracey, much to the irritation of Daphne. The bushy haired bookworm had taken it upon herself to 'defend' Hagrid from 'that vile Skeeter bitch' after the reporter had written a particularly scathing exposé on their large friend. Hermione spent a majority of the week apologizing profusely to Harry for this which Harry accepted without another thought

"I just can't let this one go," she once when they were in the common room, "I know you had the tournament to prepare for so I can't exactly ask you to help here. Besides, as much as I hate to admit it, Greengrass and Tracey should be able to–"

What Hermione was trying to say was cut short by Ron entering the broom from the Fat Lady's painting. She immediately froze when she had turned to look. Quickly moving her head back to Harry, she continued.

"Look, I promise to help you once I get this sorted. Don't worry, I'll rescue you from Greengrass's clutches as soon as I can but Hagrid needs my help more urgently," Hermione whispered before quickly standing up and walking briskly out the painting opening, not saying a word to Ron.

When hearing the brief account from Harry, Daphne had laughed out loudly, her dulcet tones echoing through the halls. Harry laughed along awkwardly as he spotted Ron's face going sour.

"Anyways, he said, clearly desperate to change the subject, why isn't this spell taught to us earlier? It's so cool!" While Ron had not made close to as much progress with the sword-forming charm, he nonetheless found the esoteric charm fascinating in a way only a young boy would understand.

"Well, it isn't exactly practical for use in modern magical combat," supplied Tracey in quick response, "Given that almost every common dueling spell is both fast and ranged, it would like that muggle saying; bringing a knife to a gun fight." Daphne and Ron nodded, the former only barely able to mask her ignorance of the phrase.

"Right, back to work!" Tracey said brightly, to which Harry went back to practicing his charms as the other three looked on.

* * *

 _Date: Saturday, February 4_ _th_ _1995_

 _Location: Great Hall_

The next few weeks passed with without much incident for Daphne and Tracey as classes soon got back into their full swing. Somehow, Harry and Ron had fallen back behind on their studies and as a result could not 'train' as frequently. As irritating and repetitive as the Gryffindors' pleas for her to help them, Daphne had been stalwart in her opposition. After all, she had merely agreed to help Potter in the tournament and nothing else. Plus, she wasn't interest in spending even more time with her fake a 'boyfriend', she thought as she munched on a piece of toast that morning.

"Greengrass."

Daphne looked up to see the wryly smirking face of Sophie Roper looking at her. The blonde chirped back a greeting to the dark-haired girl as the latter sat down next to her. The pair sat quietly eating their food for a few minutes before Sophie spoke up once more.

"Where's Tracey?" She inquired noncommittally. Daphne shrugged. Tracey was most likely in the Chamber of Secrets for one reason or another but Sophie didn't need to know that. Said girl pouted. "And Potter?" Another shrug.

"Probably studying or something," Daphne said as she continued to eat. Sophie laughed.

"Really, Greengrass? Shouldn't you as his _girlfriend_ be helping him out with that? _"_ Daphne frowned slightly and dropped her tone.

"I am quite certain that we have been keeping up good enough appearances for the moment so I could honestly not care less about what he is up to at the moment." Sophie frowned as well. She lowered her voice as well, speaking in a soft whisper.

"That won't be good enough for next week, I hope you know that." Daphne's brow furrowed.

"What's happening next week?" she asked confusedly. Sophie gave the clueless blond a plain and pitying look which only served to incense her. "What?" Daphne asked impatiently.

"It's February…" Sophie said cautiously. Seeing Daphne's expression made Sophie face-fault. Do you know what important event occurs on the 14th of February?"

Daphne subconsciously placed a façade on her face as she began to think. It hit her. "Valentines…" It wasn't common that Daphne would forget anything but the recent events, especially helping Potter in his tournament work had simply taken too much out of her.

Sophie put an arm around her housemate, patting her gently. "How in the name of Morgana could you forget such an important date?" she asked in an overly exaggeratedly soothing tone. Daphne glared at the internally chuckling Sophie.

"I have not bothered to observe it," she replied flatly. "All that usually happens is that a horde of fools attempt to impress me with various gifts or inane displays of their stupidity. Other than that, Tracey gets slightly giddier. So why would I sacrifice brain power for such an insignificant day?"

Sophie gasped in an exaggeratedly loud fashion, clutching her heart as though Daphne had said something sacrilegious. "How could you?!" she hissed as she mock glared at Daphne. The blonde raised an eyebrow.

"Oh please. Get off your high horse, Roper, we both know that the only reason you care about that accursed holiday is because of the amount you can make off it using," Daphne stated plainly, returning the look. Sophie pouted.

"It's still good to remember such events, _Lady Greengrass,_ " Sophie reminded, snidely stressing the last part of the sentence. "Besides, you have got to do something for it if you want to 'keep up appearances'." Daphne's look quickly melt into one of horror. While she didn't consider the last 'outing' to be particularly terrible, it was by no means an occasion she wished to repeat again at any time soon.

"Can't we just stay in the castle and not do anything?" Daphne half-begged. Sophie gave her a look.

"Yeah… no," she said, grinning. "Have fun!" Seeing Daphne's despairing look, Sophie continued. "Cheer up. If necessary, what if _I_ plan out the thing for you two instead? I'll throw you a bone and make it on the house." Daphne gave the girl a strange look which Sophie just waved off.

"What? I can be nice sometimes too." Sophie claimed, pretending to look hurt by Daphne's implied accusation. The blonde stayed impassive but sighed.

"Do as you wish, there isn't much of a point for me to refuse, is there?" Daphne said. Sophie's expression immediately reversed, a gleam of mischief filtering into her dark brown eyes.

"Don't worry, Greengrass, I'm sure you will find it at least somewhat better than your last _date_. With those words, Sophie Roper quickly scampered away like her namesake, cackling softly. Daphne felt an indescribable chill down her spine. Unbeknownst to her, Harry, who was sitting inside his dorm studying felt the same chill and sense of foreboding.

* * *

 _Date: Saturday, February 11_ _th_ _1996_

 _Location: Outside Madame Puddifoot's Teashop, Hogsmeade_

"Are you certain that this is the place your friend recommended to us?" a mortified Harry asked cautiously. Beside him, Daphne was trying her best to hide her discomfort and instead put on a cheerless expression.

"Yes it is but Roper is not my friend, just an ally of convenience at times." she replied swiftly as she strode towards the door. Harry's horrified expression persisted as he walked over and opened the door.

"Ladies first," he said stiffly. Daphne curtseyed and walked into the teashop, barely able to keep her mask active as she looked around the establishment. As it was every Valentine's Day, the quaint little shop was gaudily decorated with garish pink garlands and a grandiose number of enchanted pink hearts and fairies that fluttered fitfully around the teashop.

"Morgana… It's as bad as the toad's office," Daphne breathed under her breathe. Harry had absolutely no idea what she was referring to but nodded along anyway, too surprised and uncomfortable to disagree. His eyes had found the other various couples that had jam packed the cozy teashop. Various people that he could only vaguely recall populated the place, all of whom were deeply engrossed in their conversations with their partners while gazing deeply into one another. The atmosphere, coupled with its excessive décor left Harry with a feeling that he should really be somewhere else.

"Ah, welcome!" said an overly cheery and high pitched voice. Harry almost jumped back startled but was grounded by Daphne's gentle grasping of his arm. The voice originated from an extremely stout, frog-faced woman dressed in frilly pink robes. "Welcome to my fine-" she began but quickly stopped when she looked at the people in front of her. With no small amount of reverence, the woman breathed out "Harry Potter!"

Harry became increasingly self-conscious and began to shuffle uncomfortably. Taking the initiative, Daphne quickly lowered herself. "Madame Puddifoot I presume?"

The woman now revealed to be the manager of the frivolous teashop beamed widely. "Yes of course," she said, reaching out and shaking Harry's limp hand. "As I said, welcome to my small teashop, Master Potter and Lady Greengrass, I am your host Darlene Puddifoot," she gushed. Harry looked all the more uncomfortable, which the lady either ignored or didn't notice as she continued to ramble.

"Ah, this brings me back to when I first met both of your parents. James Potter was always a rascal but really knew his way around when it did matter," she said, winking at the cringing Harry. "Of course when he brought young Lily Evans here…" Daphne cleared her voice, prompting the elder woman to stop mid-sentence.

"Oh, where are my manners, follow me you two," Madame Puddifoot said, quickly ushering the unwilling pair into a nearby table. "Order what you like, simply call and I'll answer." Not another word and the frog-faced woman had run off to attend to another guest. Harry and Daphne sat in awkward silence as they watched the woman bustle around.

"So…" Harry said after a while. Since Daphne did not reply, Harry remained silent and instead continued to look around the packed teashop, his gaze never meeting Daphne's. The girl opted to entrench herself deep in thought. So far her 'plan' was not going particularly well but then again wasn't failing miserably. Their first appearances should had been roofing enough and thus even if they did not appear to be with on another for the entire day it shouldn't be too much of a hassle, she rationalized. As far as she (and Roper), had decided, Harry and she would spend most of their morning and lunch in the teashop before going their separate ways for Harry to 'continue practicing for the second task'.

However, while they had a general outline of what they were going to do, Daphne had little to no idea how to pass the time. The number of conversation topics they had were minute, given their lack of knowledge about one another. Talking about the tournament was completely out of the question as they could accidentally reveal information that they did not want revealed. Schoolwork was another topic they had agreed not to discuss, though that was more of a personal choice on their part. While Daphne still thought that it was rational, she was beginning to get antsy over not having anything to do. With all her might, she hoped that her 'date' would be able to think of something to talk about.

The blonde looked over, noticing that Harry's gaze had been focused on another spot in the teashop. Quickly tracing his eyes, Daphne's eyes narrowed as she spotted what, or rather who, Harry was looking at. Sitting a few tables any from them was a familiar mop of dark hair sitting opposite an equally familiarly charming smile. It didn't take Daphne even a moment's thought to recognize Cho Chang and Cedric Diggory. From Potter's longing gaze, it was clear to anyone watching that he was jealous of Diggory, though thankfully no-one was paying any attention to anyone but their date.

As Daphne looked was, she found it hard to blame Chang for picking Diggory over Potter. After all, the older boy was far better built, certainly more intelligent and academically gifted. He also had a sort of chivalrous charisma that surrounded him like some sort of golden aura that was akin to that of some legendary, infallible knight in gleaming whit armor…

"Oh no, not you too!" moaned Harry quietly. Daphne's gaze quickly snapped back to Harry, raising an eyebrow at him.

"Not me what, Potter?" she asked rather bluntly. Harry frowned.

"Weren't you just staring at Diggory?" he asked quietly, the bitterness in his tone highly apparent, "You know he isn't as great as he seems?"

Daphne almost snorted. "He's still a far better sight than you," she retorted quietly, "Besides, weren't you gazing at Chang? Don't be a hypocrite, Potter."

Harry frowned. "Well, everyone knows that I have a crush on Cho so…" His voice trailed off as he looked around cautiously. Seeing no immediate listeners, Harry continued. "But you were just staring at Diggory as well so you really shouldn't talk so highly."

Daphne immediately flushed. "On what account, Potter?" she hissed hotly, "For what purpose would I do such a thing? A huffed escaped her, much to Harry's surprise. The proud blonde looked away, hiding her face from all. Only one thought was now on her mind.

" _I really hope that Tracey is having a better time than I am right now."_

* * *

 _Location: Outside Madame Puddifoot's Teashop_

Contrary to what Daphne was hoping, Tracey Davis was arguably having a worse time that her blonde friend. Not that brunette minded particularly as watching the antics of her best friend on her 'date' provided the comedy that made up for the harsh winds that she had to endure. However, while entertaining, it couldn't make up for the other annoyance that Tracey s facing.

"Why do we have to be stuck out here when we could be in there! Warm and comfortable!" complained Ron for the umpteenth time. Tracey resisted the urge to deck the red headed boy.

"Because," she explained as calmly as possible, "we have to help Daph and Harry with the plan, remember?" Ron grumbled but didn't continue his rant. Tracey sighed again as she felt a sense of deja-vû hit her.

"Look Ron, I like you and all, but can you please be more quiet?" Tracey asked, half-begging as she continued to watch Daphne and Harry's hushed conversation. After not receiving a reply for a few moments, Tracey turned her head to look at Ron, who was staring slack jawed at her.

"What?" Tracey asked curiously. Ron didn't answer. Seeing this, Tracey thought back through what she said. It hit her a moment later, causing her to quickly cover her mouth with both of her hands.

"Oh no! Sorry, Ron, I didn't mean it like that!" she quickly explained, cringing as she watched the boy's face turn from one of confused elation to one of immense disappointment. The pair sat awkwardly amidst the snow, trying their best to not look at one another. A subtle buzzing sound was heard by Tracey, who took the opportunity to change the subject.

"Oh look, a water beetle! I didn't know that they could survive in these low temperatures," Tracey said phenomenally quickly. Ron gave her a confused look but turndown to look at where she had been staring, only to find not a water beetle buzzing in the distance but a large black bipedal figure rushing towards them with the beetle quickly flying a few meters in front of it. Tracey let out a scream of terror at the sight of the creature that resembled a grim but Ron seemed to recognize the large dog. He almost bounced back in surprise, barely missing Tracey.

"Snuffles?" he muttered questioningly. Without another word, Ron quickly stood up and ran after the grim.

"Wait what?" Tracey asked confused. Watching Ron run off made her stand up in alarm. "Wait! Ron! Come back! The plan!" However, Ron was already too far away to hear her. Seeing no other options, Tracey gave chase to the beetle, the grim and the redhead.

* * *

 _Location: Madame Puddifoot's Teashop_

" _Where are they?"_ Harry and Daphne simultaneously thought. Their plan was for Ron to rush into the teashop when their signal (the dropping of a fork by Harry) was given, should have prompted Ron to enter in his usual, boisterous manner and all but dragging Harry out for their 'practicing'. Tracey would enter a few minutes later and essentially taking Harry's place while the boys did whatever they wanted to do. By no means infallible, as showcased, but it should have worked…

Daphne stared impassively at the awkward Harry. Their very short list of conversation topics had run out faster than they had expected so they were slightly ahead of their makeshift schedule as they were both painfully aware. Now at an impasse from their previous topic, an awkward silence had once again befallen the pair.

Daphne's impassive gaze was boring deep into Harry, who began to feel chills down his spine from the coolness that she excluded. As time passed, his nerves began to build up as he stared into her deep brown eyes, mesmerized but equally unsettled by how they seemed to look right through him, almost as though they were gazing into his very soul itself. The nervous tension overcame Harry's awkwardness and he quickly stood up. Daphne's gaze turned alarmed and she reached out to grab his arm.

"What do you think you are doing?" she hissed quietly. Harry attempted to gently brush off the hand, failing miserably. Changing tactics, he decided to explain first.

"We've got to get out of this somehow, might as well continue with the plan anyways," he said, shrugging. Daphne began to panic.

"Unacceptable proposal, Potter," she hissed, "I will not be the girl who continued to partake in a relationship with a boy who walked on a date." At her words, Harry looked confused.

"Wait, wasn't…"

"The original plan was for _Weasley_ to drag you out, hence prematurely ending our 'date' without harming either of our reputations," Daphne interjected. Harry nodded in understanding for a moment before his brow furrowed.

"Wait a minute," he said "Wouldn't that have made Ron the scapegoat of the plan?" he asked quietly. Daphne raised an eyebrow.

"And what of it?" she replied offhandedly, flicking a lock of hair behind her ear. At her words, Harry's eyes widened for a brief moment. Daphne turned her head to see at Harry's reaction and was surprised at how incensed he looked. He had stood up straighter and his look had become more intense, overall making it seem a though he as a whole had grown in size. For the first time ever, Daphne felt as though their roles had been reversed.

"I would greatly appreciate if you don't manipulate my friend to do your bidding, Greengrass," Harry said quietly yes forcefully. An invisible wave of pressure emanated from Harry, causing the occupants of the teashop to cast a look in that general direction. Far too surprised at being shown Harry's anger, Daphne simply uttered an agreement. Harry's gaze immediately relaxed, regressing back to the neutral expression he usually had on. Daphne let out a breath she did not know she as holding and quickly looked around, relieved to see that no-one had continued to pay attention to them.

"We should exit quickly," Daphne advised urgently. Harry agreed and the two quickly paid for their foodstuffs and exited the shop, moving as quickly as possible to avoid interaction with the clingy Madame Puddifoot. After making it several paces from the shop, Harry and Daphne settled in the spot where Ron and Tracey were supposed to be.

"Wonder where they went," Harry commented before turning back to Daphne. "Alright, where should we go now?" The girl was red faced from the exertion. Panting lightly, one could easily have mistaken her condition for something different, perhaps having yelled at an insensitive boyfriend or something else. While not the case, Daphne nonetheless sighed loudly in a very uncharacteristic manner. Harry looked on with some confusion as The girl's demeanor completely changed before his eyes.

Daphne sniffed girlishly. "I believe the gentleman, wizard or otherwise, is the one who I supposed to guide these events." Harry frowned and decided to think.

"Zonko's?" he asked. Daphne lightly laughed.

"And get assaulted from all directions by the pranking lions who don't know any better? I'll pass." Harry frowned.

"Honeydukes?" Harry tried again. Daphne shook her head.

"Later, that should have either been our first or last stop." Harry's frown deepened.

"The Three Broomsticks?"

"We just ate." Harry gaze a cry of frustration.

"The Black Lake?" Harry asked desperately. Daphne gave him a smile.

"Ordinarily I would not be opposed but not today, there would be too many people." Harry threw his hands up in surrender.

"Is there anywhere you want to go?" he asked.

"Gladrags?" she chirped back hopefully.

"No," Harry replied with almost instantaneous reaction. Daphne pouted.

"The Shrieking Shack?" Harry froze at the sound of that name. Thinking of a certain scruffy looking man, he shook his head.

"I don't think that's a good idea," he said, trying to dissuade Daphne. However, it seemed to only serve to pique her interest.

"Why not? Don't tell me you, with all your Gryffindor courage, are scared of one measly house" she teased. Harry looked affronted for a moment, his confusion all but lost, before he had a sudden thought.

"You're having fun aren't you," he accused. Daphne tossed her hair back and simpered at Harry.

"Might as well make the best of this day. As irritating as our situation may be, you are by far not the worst person to spend a day with. Hence, my current disposition." Daphne explained, her tone temporarily reverting to her typical coolness.

"Right…" Harry said, unsure of how to respond to that. Daphne's smile fell for a moment.

"It's good practice to be able to perform this, Potter," she said quietly. "You don't know when you will be faced with an unfavorable situation that you simply must make the best of and use to your greatest benefit." Her words resounded in Harry's head as he watched the girl in front of him. For an instant, she seemed to age ten years, gaining the maturity and melancholy that came with years of monotony. It seemed to vanish a moment later when Daphne smiled once more.

"Look, why don't we just go to Scrivenshaft's for a while, maybe we'll come up with something better to do then." Without any better options, Harry nodded in agreement and followed Daphne as she skittered towards their destination.

* * *

 _Location: Three Broomsticks Inn_

"Has anyone seen a really big black dog run past?" Ron yelled as he barged into the Inn. A slightly out-of-breath Tracey stumbled in apologetically after him, sheepishly looking around the bar. Thankfully, the pub was as rowdy as usual and Ron's rude entrance was mostly overlooked. Ron frowned and was about to speak again when he felt a large body collide with him.

"Oomph!" Ron grunted, rubbing the parts where he had been hit. The man muttered a quiet apology and swiftly rushed out with a tow of much smaller beings following him. Tracey's eyes widened as she recognized the man's face.

"Who the bloody hell was that?" Ron cursed.

"Ludovic–" Tracey answered

"Bagman," finished George Weasley.

Ron looked up to see his twin brothers smirking back at him. Tracey too noticed the pair and yelped in surprise, taking a defensive stance and making the twins smirk even wider.

"So what do we have here, twin brother of mine?" Fred asked rhetorically. George pretended to deeply think, taking on a exaggerated thinking pose.

"I don't know, Fred my good man. All I see is our youngest brother with a girl on Valentine's Day." Throwing sniggered as Ron looked confused but deciding to interject before the situation could take a turn for the worse

"Before you go any further, I am here because I'm looking for someone," Ron said. The twins pouted in a mirrored fashion.

"If you're looking for Hagrid, he isn't here. Hermione was here a short while ago looking for him." George supplied. Ron shook his head.

"Actually, I'm looking for a large black dog." The twins took a moment to process the information.

"So, you're telling us that you've been running around Hogsmeade chasing a _seriously_ big black dog," summarized Fred.

"With a girl in tow," added George. Ron started and looked backwards. His eye widened comically as hr appeared to only now register that Tracey had been following him all this way. Said girl gave him a victory pose, complete with a teasing smile. A flurry of emotions flitted through Ron's face, ranging from confusion to shock and even to horror.

"I … Um … Never mind," Ron muttered quickly before diving out of the pub in a frenzy. The twins blinked in surprise as they watched Tracey give them an awkward bow before running off in a similar fashion.

"That was interesting," commented Fred aft short while. George nodded in agreement.

"True enough," he replied before giving his brother a look. "By the way, did you really have to say that? Way to give _it_ away, brother of mine." Fred smirked but didn't say anything in response.

* * *

Ron continued his mad dash out of the inn with Tracey hot on his heels. Under his breath, he was cursing his own recklessness while hoping that he could evade the brunette long enough for her to give up. However…

"Wait up, Ron!" Tracey called not far behind. Groaning, Ron picked up his speed, only to be stopped when he began falling for seemingly no reason.

"Wahh!" he yelled as he felt his face hit soft snow. Knowing he was beaten, Ron calmly waited for Tracey to catch up and undo the **Shoelace-Tying** **Jinx** she had placed on him. A few seconds later, the counter-jinx was muttered and Ron rubbed his assaulted ankles.

"Are you alright?" Tracey asked with a level of concern, "I softened he snow in front of you but I dunno how effective that was…" Tracey babbled a little as Ron got up and tried his shoes before putting up his hand as a sign that he was undamaged.

"I don't suppose I could convince you to let this one go, could I?" Ron asked. Tracey gave him a look.

"Hey, I'm just trying to help you out," she pointed out. Ron raised an eyebrow and Tracey continued. "You just upped and ran off from helping your best mate out just to chase a large black dog. Of course it's something important. I just figured that it would be better if I helped you out with it." Ron nodded slowly but still continued to frown.

"Look, if it would make you feel better, I can make a magical oath of silence," Tracey offered. Ron's frown lessened.

"Oaths are easy to make loopholes in, even if I don't think you would do it," he said critically. Tracey looked hopeful.

"But...?"

Ron bit his lip, unsure the of how to answer. While he was quite certain that Tracey was trustworthy enough, Sirius' identity was most certainly not his secret to share. But what if he didn't answer. Ron knew his lying abilities were nowhere near good enough to fool his Slytherin friend, which made that out of the question. Would she get mad? Ron feared the worst.

"Woof!"

The loud bark tore into the arid afternoon air, making Tracey and Ron quickly turn to the source of the sound. A large black figure was standing on the top of a nearby hill. The light snow contrasted with its dark fur, though it's details were obscured by the distance and weather. Nevertheless, it was clear to both what the creature was. Tracey paled several shades lighter.

"Is… Is that a grim?" Tracey asked shakily. Ron shook his head negatively, inside suppressing his own goosebumps at seeing the jet black fur of the grim-like creature.

Another howl came from the great black creature as it descended the hill quickly. In a dozen bounds, Sirius had cleared the short distance between himself and the two fourth-years, a speed so startling to the unexpected Tracey that she took a step back in surprise. Ron cleared his voice and addressed the form of his best friend's godfather.

"Um… Siri- Snuffles?" he asked. The dog raised a droopy ear and Ron continued. "Are you sure you should be out and about now?"

The dog turned the edges of his lips downwards. He turned around and walked a few steps before looking back at the pair. Ron frowned as he noticed that The dog was facing the cave he had been living in for the past few months since Harry had first contacted him about the Triwizard Tournament.

"Do you want me to follow you?" The dog shook his head and raised his paw, pointing first to Ron and then to Tracey. Ron's frown deepened.

"You want both of us to follow you?" Ron asked again. A nod.

"Are you sure?" Ron asked again incredulously. The dog gave him a look that seemed to implicate Ron as an idiot. Ron blinked in response.

"You're barking mad," he replied flatly. The dog guffawed at this statement, intentionally doing so to prove Ron's statement before walking off in the direction of his temporary dwellings. Ron turned to Tracey, who had been surprisingly quiet during the conversation.

"So… I guess we should go the …" Ron said uncomfortably. Tracey nodded and the two began to follow the dog. After a few moments of silence, Tracey spoke up.

"So… Snuffles eh?" Tracey said in a poor attempt at an accent.

"Don't ask."

* * *

 _Location: Shinnew Cave_

A few minutes later, Ron and Tracey found themselves at the front of a dark cave near Hogsmeade that went deep into a mountain. Ron stopped suddenly, holding his hand out and grabbing Tracey before she could take another step.

"Don't," he stated simply. Tracey gave him a strange look but did not resist.

"Traps?" she correctly guessed. "So why do you know a homeless, probably fugitive animagus?"

Ron gave Tracey a blank look. "You'll find out for yourself, I guess." Tracey was about to ask another question when she was interrupted by a voice calling from below.

"Get in, place is presentable," came the unseen voice along with some muttering that was mostly not understandable. Ron shrugged and walked into the cave with Tracey following shortly. Relatively silently, the two descended deeper into the cave, where Tracey took note of many old copies of the _Daily Prophet_ lining the walls of the cave. Further down came a somewhat rank smell of badly cooked food which permeated through the air, only worsened by the numerous torches that burned inside the cave.

Soon, the pair reached what appeared to be the bottom of the cave where two paths went from. A screech came from one side of the hallway, causing Tracey to quickly pull out her wand and point it's the direction of the noise.

"Settle down, Miss Davis, Buckbeak won't attack you for no reason," came the voice from before as its owner walked out. Tracey gasped in surprise as she recognized the person who spoke. While quit untidy and very much worse for wear, the unmistakable face of Sirius Orion Black III grinned down at her.

"Sirius Black!" Tracey whispered, unable to abate her surprise. Sirius grinned toothily.

"In the flesh." Tracey's face became pensive as her mind ran through many different bits and pieces of information quickly. Ron blinked rapidly.

"Sirius what are –" he started before he was cut off by Tracey

"A lot of things are beginning to make sense," she said after a while. Turning to Sirius, she asked "Given everything I know about you, which really isn't much, am I correct in assuming that you were not the one who betrayed Harry's parents and was then subsequently framed for that as well as being the scapegoat for many old pure blood lords' plans?" Sirius's grin persisted.

"Smart as your father was, aren't you," Sirius commented, impressed. Tracey beamed at the compliment and was about to continue to speak but Sirius put up his hand.

"Since there are probably people expecting you, I'll be brief," he said. "Miss Davis, I would like you to contact your parents, or more specifically your mother. Include the words 'After-school Tea Time" as part of the letter and ask for her to meet at Hog's Head on your next Hogsmeade weekend."

Tracey looked surprised at the fugitive's quick demands. Beside her, Ron was completely perplexed at the situation. _"How does Sirius know Tracey's parents? Why is he even here?"_ Unfortunately for Ron, his questions would not be answered until later as Tracey chirped back her reply.

"Consider it done, Mr. Black," she said somewhat formally before she began to simper. "After all, I wouldn't want a deranged murderer coming after me." Sirius laughed in his usual, barking manner as Ron looked uncomfortably at the exchange, wondering what he would tell Harry when they met again.

"Lancaster definitely rubbed off you," Sirius said after a while, a mutual grin was shared by thee two before an uncomfortable Ron cleared his throat. Sirius noticed this and quickly lost his grin.

"Alright, you should get going now," he said hurriedly. "Do me a favor and don't tell Harry about this meeting, alright?" Ron and Tracey gave him a questioning look which spurred him to continue. "If this doesn't work, I don't want him to get his hopes up for nothing." Tracey apparently connected the dots quickly and nodded. Ron however still had trouble following what was happening.

"Alright," Tracey said. "Well then, see you soon, Mr. Black." The animagus grinned ferally as the pair began to make their way out of the cave.

"Remember to bring lots of food next time, it's difficult to live off rats," he called before morphing back into his canine form. Ron shrugged in response before he too made his way out of the cave and back to the group where Tracey was waiting for him.

"Well that was interesting," Tracey commented as Ron walked down to her position. He shrugged and continued to walk down the road, forcing Tracey to run after him a hurry. "Wait up!"

Ron barely slowed his pace for Tracey though the brunette's innate athleticism allowed her to catch up to the burly redhead. Now walking in sync with her unwilling companion, Tracey decide to continue talking in an attempt to keep a conversation going.

"Are you or Harry ever going to tell me of Daph about how you met one of the most wanted men that still currently lives?" An alarmed look passed Ron's face, causing the brunette to laugh lightly.

"Relax, Ron, I'm not going to make you tell me." Not sure what to make of it, Ron essentially ignored Tracey and continued his way back past Dervish and Banges back onto the main street, still trying to work out why and how his best friend's godfather was present in Hogsmeade.

* * *

 _Location: Three Broomsticks Inn_

An exhausted Harry collapsed onto a seat inside the pub. His panting could be heard even over the racket that the pub seemed to always have. If anyone took a quick look at this face, they might have wondered in confusion why he looked so perplexed. Despite Daphne's advice, Harry found it difficult to simply do as he pleased when around the blonde, causing him a large amount of awkwardness as the day progressed. Though far less tenuous than the time he had to gruel in that atrocious teashop, Harry nonetheless felt strange. A clang of a mug to the table brought him back to his senses.

"Here, I bought this for you," Daphne said as she gestured to the mug of butterbeer that sat in front of Harry. "Think of it as a thank you gift for a serviceable day." Harry smiled awkwardly.

"Not a problem, Daphne." A look of confusion wafted through his face for an instant. "Where's yours?" he asked.

"I'm heading to Honeydukes," she said simply. Harry resisted raising an eyebrow at Daphne's excited demeanor. Mentally noting to use the one-eyed witch's passage more often, he saved at his blonde companion.

"See you soon, I guess,"

"Until tomorrow," Daphne replied. The girl sauntered quickly to the door and dashed out, seemingly vanishing into the night. Harry lightly smiled at her retreating figure before he heard another person collapse onto the seat opposite him. A mop of bushy bone hair obscured his view of the door.

"Hey Harry," Hermione said tiredly. Harry grinned at the appearance of his old friend. True to her word, the girl had been as elusive as a ghost for the past few weeks. Only appearing sparsely during mealtimes (but for all lessons) and virtually never in the common room, Hermione was a person that Harry was beginning to miss.

"Hey, Hermione," Harry greeted back. There was a hint of happiness in Hermione's expression. She took a few moments to compose herself before sitting up straighter.

"Where's Greengrass?" Hermione asked neutrally.

"Honeydukes."

"Good." Harry frowned.

"You know, she is nowhere near as bad as you think she is," he said gently, to which Hermione gave him a sympathetic glance.

"I don't think you have a full understanding of what Daphne Greengrass is capable of," she said bluntly. Harry frowned as the girl plopped back on the seat. "So, what have you two done today?" Hermione asked with as little irritation as possible.

"Well, we first went to Scrivenshaft's because Daphne want to get a few quills. I thought it was going to be as boring as when we went to get my suit but the shop was actually quite interesting with all the different types of quills and parchment types that they offer." The grin on Harry's face was infectious and Hermione found herself smiling alongside her friend.

"Didn't you think it was a clothes shop when we first told you about it?" Hermione reminded, getting a light laugh from the embarrassed Harry. The witch mirrored his mirth and their conversation veered away from their original topic. Time passed as they caught up each other on their lives, how Harry had been working on strategies for the second task and how Hermione had been a one-girl army against Rita Skeeter, analyzing and finding ways to overcome the sensationalist reporter.

"… and then that sorry excuse of a human being had the audacity to threaten me!" Hermione declared angrily, slamming a first down onto the table. As much as Harry agreed with Hermione's anger, a feeling of concern washed over him.

"Be careful against her," Harry warned, "I don't know much about Rita Skeeter, 'cept for the fact she is creepily good at getting private information and twisting it. If anything, she is one of the people Daphne is unwilling to take on," Hermione frowned at the mention of her arch-rival who they had avoided talking about for a majority of the conversation. _"Oh well,"_ she thought.

"So what are you two now then?" Hermione asked after taking a sip out of her mug of butterbeer. "I know you aren't 'together' together so what are you?" Harry frowned as he considered the question. All things considered, Harry felt that Hermione had taken the news that he and Daphne were 'together' very well after he had explained the circumstances though that may have simply be because Harry and she had not had much interaction over the past few months. Regardless however, the question remained unanswered.

"Honestly, I'm not sure," Harry said as he rubbed the back of his head. "I mean; I guess we're friends but definitely nothing more." Harry reckoned that Hermione seemed pleased with the answer as she didn't follow with more questions.

"Well, it's about time to get back to Hogwarts," Harry commented as he stood up. The usually rowdy pub had gotten much quieter as time passed, with many of them all number of remaining people either drunk or trying to get into that state of mind. Hermione could barely recognize any of the other patrons, save for a strangely emotional Theodore Nott furiously glaring at a half-drunk Moody. Seeing no more point in staying at the pub, Hermione nodded in response to Harry's statement.

"Go out first, I need the washroom," Hermione stated. Harry complied and rose. Hermione waited a few moments before she allowed her mind to process the information she had been given. _"At least you haven't changed too much,"_ she thought.

 _"Hopefully, Greengrass means what she says, I don't have time to waste on anything else."_

* * *

 _Date: Friday, February 24_ _st_ _1995_

 _Location: Fourth Year Male Gryffindor Dormitory._

Harry woke up abruptly in the morning. His first thought was to quickly look around the dorm room, looking around at his various belongings and breathing a sigh of relief as he spotted his Firebolt, Map and wand all lying around near his bed. However, a sense of dread began to take ahold him as he remembered what his friends and he had deduced to be the more likely target that the merpeople would 'take' from him.

"Big day, eh Harry?" said Seamus as he clapped Harry in the back. The black haired boy stumbled forward at the display physical might that the Irish boy presented but Harry continued to look around. A large figure draped with a blanket snored on Ron's bed which Harry walked over to.

"Come on, Ron," Harry said as he prepared to pull back the blanket. "Rise and …"

A gasp of horror escaped his lips as he pulled back the covers, revealing a pile of pillows and a strange device.

No Ron.

* * *

 _Spells Used/Mentioned:_

 _Ensiformus – Sword-Forming Charm_

 _Bulla Capitum – Bubble-Head Charm_

 _Vitrique Nodum – Shoelace-Tying Jinx_

 _ **Next Chapter – Resolute Determination**_


	20. Chapter 20 - Resolute Determination

" _Text"_ – Thoughts

" **Text"** – Spellcast

" _Text"_ – Non-English Words

 _Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, JK Rowling does_

* * *

 _ **Chapter**_ _ **20 – Resolute Determination**_

 _Date: Friday, February 24_ _th_ _1995_

 _Location: The Black Lake_

Cold.

Dark.

Scary.

While those would be the words most people would use to describe the almost freezing lake, Harry felt neither. He could barely remember stumbling out of bed, or eating breakfast before he made his way to the lake. He might have run past a frantic Dobby at some point, or pushed aside a babbling Neville, but it all seemed to have happened far too quickly, as though a whirlwind had taken ahold of his mind and flung out all the less important things in his mind. Now he only had one thing remaining.

Saving Ron.

Harry could vaguely remember the curt looks he had been given by Krum and Cedric, as well as the dismissive one that Delacour had cast in his direction as Bagman announced the task to the crowd, a faint memory of casting the **Bubble-Head charm** and diving unceremoniously into the murky depths. Without much of another choice, Harry drew his wand.

" **Ensiformus!"**

* * *

 _Location: Shore of the Black Lake_

Above the water, the audience as a whole gasped in surprise as they watched Harry Potter's wand seem to extend almost a full meter into a thin, flaming blade which illuminated the water around him. It was only through the combined effort of Albus's Transfiguration coupled with a couple of hydrokinetic devices brought by Igor from Norway that allowed the audience to see what was going on underneath the water through a quartet of giant after spheres which portrayed what was happening. As the audience continued to whisper in excitedly, Sophie Roper smirked in her seat.

"Looks like Greengrass's information was correct," she mused. Beside her, Theo had a pensive expression on his face as he watched the dark haired information broker's triumphant smile.

"I never took you for a gambler," he commented offhandedly.

"In my line of _work_ , I need to be adaptable," she replied, flicking her hair back like a certain blonde. Theo frowned.

"Potter seems to be acting strangely," Theo said with a faintly accusing tone. Sophie grinned and turned away from him, instead looking towards the water once more.

Theo didn't really know what to think. Like most people, he had been shocked after witnessing the Last Potter's fight against the Chinese Fireball a few months ago but unlike the masses, he had some knowledge of what Potter was actually like. Theo knew that Potter was undeniably talented but often lacked the drive to actually use his abilities to their maximum. A look at Sophie gave him a glimpse of her teasing simper which only increased his confusion.

If Sophie knew all this, why was she so confident in Potter's capabilities?

* * *

The adrenaline that had propelled him for the first few minutes was beginning to wear off and Harry was beginning to feel the effects of the icy water on his skin. Very glad that he had the light and heat from his sword in hand, Harry continued to plunge deeper into the lake. As time passed, it became increasingly difficult to keep going down.

He recalled Tracey saying something about water pressure during one of their many sessions in the chamber, a phenomenon that he sorely wished could be easily negated through magic. Nevertheless, he treated onwards into the pitch black waters.

Strangely, there were far fewer creatures that attempted to attack him as he made his descent than he had expected. Those that did, such as a pack of grindylows that had attempted to ambush him a few minutes after he had entered the water, met with the wrath of his blade and were almost effortlessly cut down, leaving a mass of strangely bloodless flesh in its wake.

Unfortunately, he couldn't progress anywhere close to as fast as he wished he could. Many a time he would catch sight of something moving ahead of him but could barely make out what it was before it disappeared from view. Occasionally, it revealed itself as a blackened log, a clump of mud or even the occasional corpse of a particularly large fish.

And so he swam deeper and deeper into the ocean, he would occasionally take note of the underwater structure that just seemed to float there. Great tangles of weeds sometimes floated past, which Harry had learnt by now sometimes housed a small family of grindylows, and thus wisely avoided. He descended for a bit more before he decided to rest his tired muscles for a moment.

"Having a good time?" an ethereal voice whispered beside him.

Harry sharply turned around and awkwardly waved his wand-sword at the speaker but found that he didn't hit anything.

"Hey! You almost killed me with that one!" the same voice joked. Blinking confusedly, Harry moved his hand downward slightly and stared surprisedly at the floating form of Moaning Myrtle. The ghost stuck her head into the bubble that encased his head, causing him move back slightly due to discomfort.

"Myrtle?" he said in surprise.

"In the flesh … so to speak," chirped back the ghost. Harry mimed rubbing his temples by massaging the bubble around his head causing the female ghost to giggle. Harry was about to speak when she stopped him.

"You might want to try down there," she said gesturing towards a place lower than where they were. "I'm not coming with you though, they like chasing me whenever I get too close."

Harry looked extremely surprised and attempt to bow at her, causing more giggles.

"Don't need to thank me, just keep visiting my bathroom more. We have so much to talk about!" The ghost began outright laughing as she glided away after witnessing the redness of Harry's face as he was reminded of the reason why Daphne and Tracey had been so adamant in making sure that Myrtle was not around when they were ending and exiting the Chamber. Sighing to himself, he followed Myrtle's directions.

As he swam deeper, the terrain around him seemed to evolve. Small clumps of squalor mud coagulated, forming bigger chunks. Sometimes it even compounded with weeds and formed even bigger pieces. From the far distance, a greenish light emanated from what Harry assumed to be the Slytherin common room.

After swimming for what felt like another fifteen minutes, another large shape appeared in front of Harry. His brow creased as he felt a wave of danger from this object as he began to rapidly approach it through sheer momentum. Harry felt the water in front him pulse erratically, as though the object in front of him was thrashing about. Unable to contain his curiosity, Harry moved in for a quick look, his jaw dropping at the sight in front of him.

In what almost looked like a page out of a comic, Harry stared with wide eyes at the giant squid… wrestling what appeared to be an anthropomorphic shark. Both beasts thrashed around, hitting each other with tremendous force, each impact sending large amounts of water all directions.

A smack from the giant squid sent the half-shark reeling through the water. Its immediate threat repulsed, the squid turned to look at the other being in the vicinity – Harry himself. The boy gulped as he watched the enormous cephalopod rushed at him. Harry very quickly tried to think of what to do. One of the biggest flaws to the **Ensiformus** was that no other spells could be cast when it was active as pointed out by Daphne. However, Harry was unwilling to let his only source of light and warmth go at this critical time. Watching the gargantuan beast rush at him, Harry found himself with only one other option.

He waved his wand out in an arc.

The squid saw the bright blade swing but was unable to fully not avoid the arcing sword because of its momentum. An extremely large bubble appeared from the squid's pink mouth as Harry watched with horror as the a few of the many tentacles of the squid was severed by Harry's fiery sword. The squid began thrashing about, writhing in immense pain and spraying a tremendous volume of ink at Harry. The boy shielded his eyes for a few moments before remembering that he had a bubble around his head. However, the squid had already escaped by this time.

Harry breathed a sigh of relief at his unexpected encounter. The previously turbulent waters had calmed, putting the boy quickly at ease. However, he suddenly remembered his reason for being down in the lake. Still panting from the skirmish, Harry quickly scanned his surroundings and spotted an area slightly brighter than the rest of his surroundings and began to head in that direction.

As he approached, Harry noticed how the previously waterborne clumps of mud had mostly dissolved under the pressure of the way, obscuring the ocean floor which he had apparently descended to in the midst of the skirmish. Two massive streaks separated the mud in front of him, which he swam through quickly. As he got lower, various strange structures could be seen jutting out of the floor. Harry passed them without a second thought, hoping that he was going into the right direction.

A few strokes later, the familiar, haunting song made its way into Harry's ears. Harry almost gasped in surprise but refrained from actually doing so when he remembered the extremely limited amount of oxygen that his bubble contained. Instead he opted to swim fast, past various rocks and clusters of algae that dotted the floor of the ocean.

As Harry made it over a ridge, he watched as the train once again changed drastically. Muddy, algae ridden rock formations could be seen everywhere for as far as Harry could see, simple yet serviceable 'houses' that the merpeople lived in. As there were neither doors nor windows, Harry could see that many of the populace were out of their homes, swimming around their 'village' under the sea. Many of them were watching Harry intently with their amber eyes, clutching their spears loosely as their aquamarine hair flitted wildly because of the sea currents. Harry paid them no mind as he continued deeper into the village.

More and more densely packed stone dwellings clustered around the center of the village and now a far more varied cast of merpeople populated this area of the place. Smaller merpeople which Harry assumed were children were swimming around rapidly and pointing at him while chattering at an intense speed. Other merpeople seemed older with even less hair and somewhat of a scowl on their face that highlighted their broken yellow teeth. The sight could almost be considered ghastly, clearly different from most muggle interpretations of the species of merpeople.

Harry's swimming sped up as he saw the familiarly pulsing water in front of hm. Looking a bit ahead, he saw the strange sight of the half-shark form of Viktor Krum clambering around a small figure in front of him. Harry didn't need another moment to recognize the unconscious figure as Hermione who looked strangely peaceful as she floated in the water. Beside her, a piece of frayed rope dangled listlessly and another person who Harry didn't recognize floated a short distance away.

" _So Ron must be…"_ Harry thought as he looked toward the other side of Hermione before he blinked a couple of times in surprise.

Instead of Ron's red hair floating around next to Hermione, an unconscious Daphne Greengrass lay seemingly without a car in the world.

" _What?!"_

Didn't the song say they would take what Harry would miss most?

" _What's going on?"_

* * *

"Alright, I'll admit it. I really didn't expect that," Theo commented as he watched the orb of water that showed the area around Harry. Roper laughed gently and reached out into what appeared to be thin air next to her. Theo raised an eyebrow. Roper had been strangely adamant in keeping that space vacant, even using simple warding spells on the area to make sure no-one would walk too close by it. The girl appeared to grab ahold of something and quickly pulled. Shimmering cloth rustled through the air and was pulled back to reveal a closely compacted Ron Weasley and Tracey Davis.

"Did you really have to take that long, Roper?" grunted an irritated Ron. Sophie whistled innocently and Tracey put up a sad pout.

"Oh, Ron," she sighed dramatically, "Do you dislike being with me so much?" she said, pretending to weep. Ron immediately reddened.

"No, no, no," he rambled for a moment. "I didn't mean it like that…" Ron stopped when he realized that Tracey was just teasing him. The redhead grunted once more and just looked away. Theo blinked at the interaction, completely caught off guard by both of the actions.

"That is … interesting," he said incredulously after a few moments. Sophie nodded as well, hiding her own surprise far better than Theo but not enough to fool him. Theo turned towards Sophie curiously.

"So, do you mind explaining how you convinced Ronald Weasley, well established hater of all that is Slytherin, to hide himself from his best friend, with a Slytherin under a cloak, which, speaking of which, where did you get?" Sophie grinned.

"To answer your last question first, I bought it off Mundungus Fletcher. Bugger charged me ten galleons for it but it hasn't broken yet so ... As for convincing Weasley, I didn't do it, Tracey did." Theo blinked in surprise.

"That's…" Theo had no words to say and sat there speechless.

"My thoughts exactly," Sophie commented as she turned her look towards the pair. Tracey seemed to be attempting to get Weasley to speak to her. While a fool's goal in Theo's book, the brunette continued to persist. To his surprise, he watched Ron budge only the slightest bit at Tracey's good natured provocations, causing him to raise an eyebrow.

"That still doesn't explain _how_ Weasley was convinced. Tracey may have her 'Tracey powers' but not even those can convince a mouse to commit suicide, let alone get Weasley to sit with us for over an hour," Theo mused.

"It wasn't anything much," Tracey said as she turned around to face Theo and Sophie. "I just explained why to him that making Harry think that he was the lake would make him more enthused in the task."

"And I agreed since I feel that I haven't done much for Harry for this task. I mean, Tracey and Greengrass taught him the spells he is currently using. All I did was remind him about common sense." Ron supplied quietly. His shoulders drooped as he looked towards the floor. Tracey patted his back.

"Now, now," she said soothingly, "Don't forget you helped Harry solve Cedric's clue. Not to mention that your 'common sense' reminders saved Harry's life! Harry even took out one of the giant squid's tentacles with your advice!" Ron blushed slightly at the praise, which Tracey took as a good sign. Theo blinked a few more times at the interaction, clearly still surprised at how the usually seemingly aloof Gryffindor was now acting. Brushing off the thought, he turned to a still grinning Sophie Roper.

"Alright, that might explain how it happened but why did you go through the trouble?" Sophie chuckled at Theo's partial conclusion.

"When I noticed that Greengrass never reemerged from Professor Snape's office last night, I came to the conclusion that she was going to be the one that Potter would be assigned to rescue. I also knew that Potter wouldn't be as bothered to go find her as he would Weasley so I just called in a favor from Tracey and you already know the rest." Theo nodded for a short while before he began to frown.

"Wait a minute, wouldn't it have made more sense for Weasley to be in the lake anyways?" Theo wondered aloud. Sophie nodded as Theo continued. "And come to think of it, don't the legal guardians of those in the lake need to give consent before tossing them in a fake life-threatening position?" Sophie raised her hands up as a form of surrender.

"Honestly, I have no idea. I just played my hand as best I could to protect my assets." Theo nodded in understanding and went back to watching the scene above the lake. Suddenly a horrifying thought hit him.

"Wait a minute… I don't have to pay you for this information, do I?" Sophie laughed mirthfully but didn't answer, causing Theo to give her a desparing look.

* * *

Harry looked owlishly at the floating figure of his fake girlfriend. Though her features were partly obscured by the murkiness of the water as well as the lack of light from the surface, Harry was able to make out her relaxed expression as she floated without a care in the world. Despite the circumstances, Harry found himself unable to contain himself as he began to get transfixed on how serene she looked. It took a few moments before he snapped out of his stupor when he heard a sizable crash from beside him.

Krum's latest attempt at freeing Hermione from her bindings had failed miserably as he watched the shark-man rub his 'snout' using a misshapen hand. Having been brought back to the situation, Harry quickly shook his head. Shortening the length of the blade at his wand tip, Harry steadied himself and gave a single slash, cutting through the seaweed with relative ease. Now unbound, Daphne began to float away before Harry caught her.

"Got you," he mouthed at her. Her flesh was much cooler than he expected, causing Harry to gasp softly in surprise. Calming himself, he decided to take a cursory glance around. Merpeople were floating around watching the scene in front of them. One of them in particular seemed to be dressed in a more important manner, clad in what appeared to be an old cloak and garb that Harry felt resembled that of a nobleman's wear, all topped with what appeared to be a crown made of driftwood on his head. Many of the merpeople around him carried spears and leered menacingly toward him, as though daring him to fight. However, neither side made an offensive move.

Meanwhile, Viktor's continuous failures to free Hermione was apparently infuriating him, given the man's apparent tantrum that he was throwing. Harry briefly thought about helping the man out by cutting through the bindings on Hermione but stopped almost immediately when he glanced at Daphne.

The logical part of his brain took over and a voice in his head (that sounded remarkably like the one commanded by the girl currently lying limply on his shoulder) reminded him of the true situation. A brief memory reminded him of the contest at hand as well as that the organizers would not be allowed to risk any person's life for any of the tasks, barring the champions themselves of course. The cold logic sounded in Harry's brain and silenced the protesting, compassionate side of him, ending the schism within him. Without anything else to do, he decided to ascend as quickly as his body would allow, not caring to throw a glance back at Krum, Hermione or the young blonde haired girl that remained in the clearing.

Without another thought, he kicked up from the ocean floor, hoisting the unconscious blonde along with him. The trip back upwards was much more boring than the trip down, though Harry attributed it to his lack of adrenaline and the fact that he had a passenger along the way. Every so often, he would look around cautiously to make sure no stray pieces of grindylow-hiding seaweed was floating around. After what felt like a fifteen-minute ascent from the depths, light began filtering from above. Harry smiled quaintly and sped up ever so slightly.

With a loud splash, Harry and Daphne broke through the water surface. Harry's bubble broke immediately at contact with the cold air and oxygen began filling his lungs. He gasped for air and panted deeply. The crowd around him seemed to be yelling something, a sound that was accompanied by Ludo Bagman's booming voice. However, Harry's senses were still reeling from his underwater experience and he couldn't hear what was being said. A spluttering sound came from right beside Harry, causing the boy to turn around quickly.

Daphne Greengrass shook her head slightly, her long blonde hair waving around and spraying the surroundings with the water that it held. A few coughs later, Daphne looked up at Harry. Her brown eyes stared deeply into his green ones and Harry reciprocated the stare with his own. The world around them seemed to stay still for a few moments as the two looked at each other. Nothing seemed to exist in their perception apart from each other. The two of them seemed to move closer together, pulled by an unseen force. Harry watched as Daphne opened her mouth and…

"Well you took your sweet time, Potter."

Harry looked at her with utter bewilderment, completely speechless. Daphne tossed her hair back and looked at Harry. "What?" she asked

Harry had no words to reply and thus simply looked back at her dumbfounded. Daphne arched an eyebrow at his lack of response.

"Oh come off it Potter, I knew you would be able to succeed in retrieving me. If anything, I was the one who assisted you in retrieving me. But regardless, thank you, Harry Potter, for 'rescuing' me from the merpeople." The last part of her speech was spoken far louder than everything else she had said. The crowd cheered loudly and Daphne smirked.

"Well, Potter?" she said with her voice returning to normal volume, "Shall we?" Harry shrugged and began to swim back to the shore.

"Potter." Harry looked back at the floating girl, who now had her arms crossed. "It is your duty to accompany your lady," she reminded. Harry groaned and went back to her. He was already too exhausted to argue at this point, though his irritation was beginning to increase at the haughty girl. With much effort, he began paddling towards the shore edge with Daphne in tow.

"Can't you just swim across yourself," Harry wondered aloud. "It's not like you can't swim." Harry heard no verbal response but felt the girl tense slightly.

" _Wait, seriously?"_

Harry used all of his remaining willpower to suppress laughing at the thought that Daphne Greengrass was unable to swim, his irritation at the girl evaporating, as he continued his way to the shoreline.

* * *

Sophie and Theo watched as the Harry and Daphne slowly made their way to the shore's edge. Tracey had already dragged Ron there once the two had first burst through the water.

"Well, I'm guessing you were right then?" Theo asked. Sophie smirked.

"To be fair, the veela's failure was quite unexpected. I would have thought that the aquatic environment would have been advantageous to her but it is apparent that her overconfidence about her own abilities overshadowed the difficulty of the task."

"I predicted Krum to end up last, given his impulsive and pugilistic nature. Human transfiguration is useful but very difficult to master, as shown. Plus, his intelligence is much lower in a shark's form, so even though he was the first to find the captives, he also did so in the most blundering manner which thus forced him into combat against the giant squid." Sophie explained.

"Diggory was close to the perfect example of how each of the champions should have approached the task. If only he had say gillyweed or the knowledge of the **Ensiformus** charm, I would guess that he would have been well within the time frame." Sophie finished her summary with a flick of her hair, making Theo smile. A clapping noise came from behind them.

"Good deduction, Roper, five points to Slytherin."

Theo and Sophie both turned quickly to see the gnarled face of Mad-eye Moody grinning back at them. Theo unconsciously tensed at the sight of the old auror but did not react physically at the leering old man.

"Professor," they said, inclining their heads in respect. The old auror's grin grew wider and he hobbled off. The Slytherin pair watched the receding frame of Moody for a moment until he was lost in the crowd. Theo waited a moment before he let his façade slide. In an instant, gone was the neutral and sometimes amused expression he usually wore. What arose was nothing less than the wrathful glance of an angered warrior.

"That is not Mad-eye Moody," he said quietly. Sophie raised an eyebrow. She, of course, had known this for a long while but did not know why Theo was bringing this up. The boy's uncharacteristically angered look almost scared her as she had never seen him so incensed in the four years she had known him. Nervously yet bravely, she poked him gently on the shoulder

"Are you alright?" she asked.

Theo shrugged. His anger was quickly masked and he went back to watching the water as the crowd's volume had once again risen. With an extremely large splash, Viktor Krum rocketed out of the water with Hermione Granger in tow. Sophie frowned at Theo but continued to watch, a plan forming in her head.

* * *

 _Date: Tuesday, March 7_ _th_ _1995_

 _Location: Great Hall_

In the weeks that followed the second task, things began adjusting back to normal, or at least as normal a school like Hogwarts could be. Tracey was quietly eating her lunch one blustery March afternoon, boredly listening to Pansy Parkinson's girlish chatter about some article in the Daily Prophet, when she heard a familiar squaw of an owl. She looked up in surprise as the great horned owl swooped down and landed at her side. She quickly untied the letter at its foot and parsed through it.

Daphne easily recognized the owl as Kirsten Davis's, Tracey's mother's, delivery owl for work related purposes. A frown appeared on her face as Daphne watched her best friend. It wasn't like the Davis matriarch to expend any more resources than necessary. So why was it that she sent Tracey a letter using that owl? Unfortunately for the blonde, her question would remain unanswered as Tracey swiftly stood up and walked over to the Gryffindor table. In an action quite reminiscent of what Daphne did more than two months' prior, Tracey seemingly dragged Weasley out of the Great Hall. Many people in the hall collectively blinked but dismissed the action as one of the various strange things that happened around the school.

Across the table, Theo continued to stare surprisedly at the doorway that had just been swung open and vacated by Tracey and Ron, so much so that he did not detect the girl beside him sit down.

"Oh dear, is that going to be a common occurrence as well?"

Theo almost yelped as he jumped up slightly at the sound of the voice next to him. Sophie Roper grinned cheekily as he glared at her. He quickly grabbed his pocket comb, reshaping his messy hair.

"What do you want, Roper," he said gruffly, keeping his blush from sight. Sophie giggled at his embarrassment.

"Nothing much, _Nott_ ," she said in a teasing tone. The boy huffed.

"Well, it's almost time for Potions, I'll meet you there," he said, hiding his face from her view. Theo quickly stood up and walked away, leaving Sophie to giggle at his actions. She knew that there was still plenty of time before their lesson with the Gryffindors so she sat down and began to eat.

"You be careful, Roper," came a voice from across the table. Sophie was in the middle of piling some food onto her plate and simply glanced at the source of the voice. Daphne Greengrass held a lofty look against her.

"And what am I to be careful of? _Lady_ Greengrass?" she countered, simpering at the scowling blonde. The few people who were still eating momentarily paused as they watched the blonde heiress stare angrily at the seemingly lackadaisical dark-haired half-blood. The moment passed and Daphne relented.

"If you do anything to harm my friend, I will personally introduce you to the full extent of my spellwork library," Daphne said thunderously. Sophie smirked despite the harrowing force that was imparted behind Daphne's words.

"So, is that you talking?" Sophie asked before gesturing to the space behind Daphne, "Or is that your boyfriend's speech?" Daphne looked confused for a moment before she felt a tap on her shoulder. Quickly turning, she looked straight at a slightly confused and apologetic Harry tapping her. Impatient but nonetheless

"Later, Potter, I need to deal with –" Daphne said as she turned around to see that Sophie Roper had somehow disappeared, her plate and food along with it. The blonde's eyes widened with rage but she prevented herself from producing a physical reaction by quickly turning back towards Harry and engaging him in conversation.

Back on the other side of the table, Sophie Roper grimaced as she quickly ate her food underneath her invisibility cloak. The cloak that had served her faithfully for many years had finally begun to deteriorate. It wouldn't be long until she would have to get it repaired or replaced, lest it break at a critical moment.

" _So much for a lifetime guarantee,"_ Sophie thought irritated at the shady salesman who had given her the cloak. _"But that's just avoiding the issue."_ Sophie quickly glanced through her cloak towards the quietly steaming blonde for a moment. _"Relax, Greengrass. If anything, I'm trying my best to hurt Theo as little as possible."_ Quickly, she wolfed down the remainder of the food on her plate and put back the used dish on the table. Without a sound, she took off back to the dungeons, blending into the background like her epithet.

* * *

 _Location: Ridgebit Dragon Sanctuary_

Azulong stretched her fiery crimson wings out, allowing a small sigh to escape her mouth. The small fireball that accompanied the sigh shot out at an almost lazy speed, hitting and dissipating against the wall of stone that encapsulated her 'home'. It had already been three months since she had arrived back in the reserve with Gainought, Avalon and Diagoldos. Upon arrival, Azulong was (not unexpectedly) teased for letting a human on her back for even the shortest of times and even more so because said human was a hatchling of their species.

A flare erupted from one massive nostril as she thought back to the many incidents. _"They will rue the day they made fun of me,_ " she thought. Unfortunately, like their lives, a dragon's memory lasted a long time and Azulong knew that her 'blunder' would remain at the back of many minds for many decades to come. Annoyed yet bored, the Chinese Fireball decided to take a flight to visit one of the only dragons whose company she tolerated. With a few flaps of her massive wings, Azulong took off into the afternoon sky.

Unlike many other dragon 'reserves', the Ridgebit Sanctuary had mountains worth of land for their various species to roam freely on, which was supplanted by the various wards that were placed strategically to keep muggles and wizardkind alike from locating it. All in all, this configuration made Ridgebit the world's biggest dragon sanctuary. Because of this, the many different draconic species that lived here were allowed to fly around uninhibited and, on a rare case, intermingle with other draconic species, assuming that said dragons had a 'clear' record of non-aggression. Azulong, being a somewhat more passive dragon, had such a record, though she rarely would ever use her privileges to speak with other dragons.

As she flew across the large savannah that separated her nest from her destination, the large crimson dragon could see many young hatchlings only a few decades old running and hopping around the fields while their mothers watched from afar. Many of these young dragons were not yet capable of flight as their wings had not yet fully developed. Azulong did not want to linger and thus simply continued her flight. Up ahead, she noticed a gathering of dark clouds above the mountaintops. Surprised at the strange weather, she sped up, hoping to find the cause of this.

With her speed, it only took her a few minutes to arrive at the valley of her destination. Noticing the denser growth of brush that was close to the ground, she opted to quickly descend and reduce the risk of accidentally burning something with her fiery wings. She quickly landed in a relatively small clearing and began to walk somewhat ungainly downwards to the bottom of the valley. As she got closer, she began to hear a pair of voices converse.

" _Vente, er det noen som kommer"_

Azulong frowned at the lightly accented yet unfamiliar voice. The dialect spoken was one even she didn't recognize, a feat in of itself given her studies into many draconic tongues during her preparations before her transfer to this reserve. She slowly crept up, trying (as hard as a dragon could) to sneak up on those in the clearing.

"Do not bother, young one, we already know you are present," called a deep rumbling voice.

Slightly ashamed at her lack of subtlety, Azulong hobbled out to greet those in the clearing. Standing there was the dragon she had flown to see, Diagoldos, laying almost boredly on the ground. In front of her was an extremely strange sight, even for Azulong. A large, human-shaped being that seemed to be made of pure, orange energy floated, seemingly sitting in thin air. Azulong could faintly make out a set of facial features that seemed almost drawn on the strange figure and something that resembled a billowing cloak and staff that was made of the strange ethereal substance that composed of the being's body.

"Well if it isn't the young torch," the figure said with its accented tone. A bolt of lightning struck down from the stormy clouds above them. In the flash, Azulong immediately recognized who this figure was.

"Lord Thunderer," she said, inclining her head as though she were bowing like a human would to a person of reverence.

"He is no lord," rumbled Diagoldos from the other side of the field. Azulong turned her head slightly to face the old silvery blue dragon, who snorted before continuing. "If you insist on calling his full title, he would be the all-f–"

"I will not take the titles of the deceased, old friend," the orange figure interjected. The two ancient beings stared at one another for a brief moment, causing Azulong some awkwardness. She was not used to being essentially ignored like this and while she preferred being solitary, this irked her.

"Pardon me for asking, Lo– Master Thunderer," she said, causing the two to break from their staring, "But why are you here? If I recall correctly, you have been missing for almost half a century." Diagoldos hummed (or rather growled) in tandem.

"The brat raises a point. Why the frequent visits, Thunderer? Surely you have better things to do with your unlimited time." The thunderer's lips seemed to upturn, forming what humans would call a 'smirk'

"The Fates have recently informed me of a change in the timestream that was not of their doing," it answered casually, as though he were simply discussing the weather. The reaction those words got from the ancient dragon however, directly contrasted the off-handedness that they were delivered with.

"That should be impossible!" breathed Diagoldos in complete astonishment. Azulong had no idea what they were discussing and kept a neutral expression.

"Apparently it is. According to their records, the one you call Gainought should have fought the wizard that you battled, princess," Thunderer explained. Azulong bristled at the usage of her 'title' but kept quiet. Diagoldos growled.

"Any immediate effects?" she asked as quietly as a dragon could.

"Minimal at present. However, as the future is uncertain…" Thunderer trailed off, as the connotations of his words made themselves clear. Diagoldos sighed, a hot blue pillar of flame bursting into the skies above them.

"I send you gratitude for the notification, old friend. I pray our paths do not cross again soon."

"Nor I, old friend, nor I," the orange being said gravely. "For now, I am to journey to Tartarus to secure the malefic Duke Typhon," he added. Diagoldos nodded.

"The cesspit of the serpents itself… I would have never thought you would set foot in there again, Thunderer," The orange being said nothing and Diagoldos simply sighed and jutted her head towards Azulong, who visibly perked up at being addressed.

"Until next time, Master Thunderer," she said somewhat formally. Thunderer seemed to stare deep into her for a moment. If one looked closely, one would see a faint crease on the orange being's brow.

"You may play a big role in the events to come," he mused quietly, though loud enough for all to hear. Without another sound, the thunderous being shot to the skies, creating a boom of sound as he ascended rapidly. Azulong blinked as the skies returned to clarity matching that of the surrounding lands. Diagoldos huffed. A moment later, a strange sound could be heard as Diagoldos began to speak.

"Those three are working him as though he were Hermes!" It took a short while for Azulong to realize that the old dragon was chuckling as the shallow yet unearthly sound permeated the air. The Swedish-snout turned to the Chinese Fireball. "Well, brat? What did you come here for?" Azulong blinked.

"Nothing else, my lady," she replied, bowing her head respectfully. Diagoldos huffed and turned away, her massive gait thankfully far away from anything that she might knock over. "Do as you wish then, I have much to contemplate." With these words, the old dragon flapped her fine blue wings and took off, leaving the younger dragon alone in the clearing. Seeing nothing better to do, Azulong too decided to leave, walking back to the place where she had first descended before taking off back to her nest, her mind at work at analysing what she had just learnt.

* * *

 _Spells Used/Mentioned:_

 _Ensiformus – Sword-Forming Charm_

 _Bulla Capitum – Bubble-Head Charm_

 _ **Next Chapter – Two Stories**_


	21. Chapter 21 - Two Stories

" _Text"_ – Thoughts

" **Text"** – Spellcast

" _Text"_ – Non-English Words

 _Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, JK Rowling does_

* * *

 _ **Chapter 21 – Two Stories**_

 _Date: Saturday, March 11_ _th_ _1995_

 _Location: Hog's Head_

Despite the many students that were currently running around Hogsmeade Village, few would dare to tread into the inn known as the Hog's Head and even fewer to enter and live in one of its musty rooms. Many had heard of strange tales that had put the shady inn in a grim spotlight. Some say that Voldemort's downfall was first spoken of in this very inn. Others say that this was the place that the truth of the Philosopher's stone was first brought to light. Whatever mysteries or myths that this place held, it certainly made for a good place for the least savoury of society to gather.

A lone figure entered the bar. This person was dressed with a hood covering their face. The few patrons in the pub didn't even spare a glance at the newcomer, who briskly walked to the front. The barman was rubbing an old mug with a filthy rag and barely acknowledged the person who was standing before him. Unperturbed, the hooded person took out two coins from her robes as well as a badge of some sort. The barman looked over the items on his counter and grinned, showing the hooded person his grimy yellow teeth.

"First room on the right, door is unlocked already," he said gruffly. The hooded person bowed and swiftly walked away from the bar and around to the back. Much like the public area, the rooms that made up the inn were equally drab. It didn't take long for the hooded person to find the room that had been allocated and walked in. Shutting the door quickly after walking in, the person took off their hood, revealing a stern looking raven-haired woman with piercing blue eyes – Kirsten Davis.

Kirsten walked over to one of the dusty chairs and looked around the room, skimming over the few details that the place had to offer. As expected, the room was very plain. Stone walls reached up to a grey ceiling which housed nothing but three candlesticks which provided the room with somewhat adequate illumination. There was a small bed present. It appeared to be badly made as there was a large-spread but barely noticeable crease on the bedspread. However, what Kirsten did notice was a large black dog that was curled up next to the bed, it's gait rising up and down as though it were asleep. Kirsten waited another moment before speaking.

"Get up, Black, I know you are awake," she said commandingly. At her words, the dog's eyes opened wide. The dog stood up, seemingly stretching itself as it took a few steps over to where the woman was sitting. As he walked, the dog began to shift, his face flattening, his body growing larger and so forth. After the few steps that it took to get from the side of the bed to the table, Sirius Black completely changed back from his canine form. Despite the raggedness of his clothing, the man excluded an aura of youthfulness which was exemplified by his wild yet cautious grin at the woman.

"You aren't any fun, Marchbanks, or is it Davis now? You've never made that clear even since back in Hogwarts," he said mischievously. The woman growled and the man put up his hands to surrender. "Alright, I will stop joking around." Kirsten kept a stony expression.

"You look worse for wear, Black, though considering the circumstances, I'd say you look far better than you should." Sirius grinned wolfishly.

"A diet of rats, leftovers and the occasional fish will do that to a person." Kirsten made no physical response.

"And you weren't already disgusting already," she muttered. Sirius frowned.

"Is that how you speak to your savior? I wonder how you keep your customers, Marchbanks." Kirsten once again ignored his comment.

"You act like a child, Black." Sirius smirked, having apparently achieved his goal. Kirsten scowled when she realized how irritated she was feeling. "What do you want, Black," she said as she tried to keep her emotions out of the tone. It wasn't easy to keep herself from cursing at the man who had terrorized her school life all those years ago … and who was the man who had somehow saved her life more than a decade ago.

Sirius's smirk dropped. In an instant, the aura of youthfulness vanished, leaving only the subtle, almost animalistic aura of caution around the man.

"Of course," he admitted as he walked over to the bed. Kirsten looked at him curiously as he continued. "But first, we must greet our guests!" Kirsten had no time to ask before Sirius reached out into thin air above the bed and grabbed ahold of something. With a quick swipe, Sirius pulled an invisibility cloak from mid-air. Kirsten was shocked but didn't voice out her surprise immediately.

" _That's impossible! I made sure that no-one was here! I even used some of Eve's prototype detection charms…"_ However, what did make her gasp in surprise was what, or rather who was hiding underneath the cloak.

"Well this is surprising…" muttered Sirius as he looked down at a sheepish pair of teenagers. Sprawled close together but not touching on the bed was Ron Weasley and Tracey Davis. "I expected Harry and Ron, maybe Hermione but Davis?" Sirius's mutterings continued. A brief silence followed, broken by Kirsten quickly standing up.

"Tracey! Where did you get that invisibility cloak? In fact, how did you even get in here. I've told you plenty of times to stay away from…" screamed a rightfully angry mother, who was only stopped by Sirius's hand.

"The cloak is Harry's, passed on from James. Our little group used it a lot back in the day," he supplied. Kirsten's glare softened by a fraction, though her frown didn't go away as she sat back down. Sirius too sat down, making the chair creak slightly as he quickly descended upon it. He was about to speak again when Tracey spoke up.

"Pardon me Mr Black," she addressed. Sirius nodded and she continued. "But since you were able to detect us under the cloak, how were you not able to figure out that it was the two of us here rather than say Harry and Ron?" Sirius looked surprised. Kirsten did as well but was able to hide it better.

"When you have a nose as good as mine, you are able to tell things apart by distance based on their smell." Tracey nodded as did Kirsten, though the latter's movement was not perceived by anyone. The older woman's interest had been piqued when Sirius had mentioned how he and his gang of 'Marauders' had used it during their school days. If some of their many secrets would be revealed to her, Kirsten didn't mind using more time for this.

"In this case," Sirius continued, "I was able to smell that there was a part of the room that didn't have any scent coming from it. In a way, it was a blank space, or 'nothingness' inside a space of 'everythingness', so to speak." Tracey nodded in a realization. "That's probably one of the very few weaknesses of that cloak," Sirius commented with an afterthought.

"So that's why you were able to tell that there was someone here," Ron said, finally speaking, "But not that Harry wasn't here!" The redhead looked pleased at himself until Tracey muttered something into his ear, causing him to redden slightly.

"By the way, where _is_ Harry?" Sirius asked.

* * *

 _Location: Viaduct Courtyard_

Harry was in a state of focus as he looked across the table at his opponent. Said person was in a similar state of mind, eyes unwavering and poised to make a move. Both opponents locked stares for an instant, a certain ferocity dominating the air when–

"Checkmate, Potter."

Harry groaned as Daphne Greengrass walked over and placed his opponent's knight on a strategic position, cornering his king and thus winning the match in favour of his opponent. Across the table, Dean Thomas smirked as he revelled in his unexpected victory.

"Bad luck Harry, it seems your girlfriend is on my side." Daphne looked irritated at the comment but did not speak out.

"I was hoping you wouldn't see that one," grumbled Harry. Dean smirked once more before he stood up.

"Well, your lady is here, so I might as well get going," he said. "Unless she would rather hang with me," he said with an afterthought. This time Daphne, really glared and the brazen Gryffindor boy walked off slightly quicker than his usual pace. Left at the table Harry looked up at Daphne, who seemed to be analysing the position of the pieces. However, as he looked further, he could see a faint redness on her cheeks. Before, he could look deeper, Daphne spoke.

"Really, Potter, has being best friends with Weasley taught you nothing about chess?" Harry frowned at the comment.

"I'm not really good at the game, trying to implement strategies and stuff is hard," he replied stoutly. Daphne sighed but did not respond directly to his comment, which instead prompted him to speak up.

"I thought you were in Hogsmeade; didn't you say you had something to do?" Daphne shook her head.

"No, I said Tracey had something to do. I have no such obligation." Harry frowned again.

"Does it have anything to do with why Ron asked to borrow my cloak this morning?" he asked. Daphne shrugged.

"Tracey refused to tell me, oddly enough," Daphne said as she looked out of the courtyard, staring down the hill where the castle rested upon. From their vantage point, the picturesque village of Hogsmeade looked like a tiny strip of land at the side of the black lake, with its two big streets taking up most of the viewable area. A moment of serene silence passed before Harry spoke up.

"And why aren't you down there as well?" Daphne snorted.

"And be seen without my 'boyfriend'? I prefer not damaging Lord Slytherin's plans even though I have no idea what he truly wants." Harry frowned.

"And if I come with you?" he asked. Daphne raised an eyebrow.

"Are you in such a hurry for another date already? It's only been a month, we don't need to be so frequent to keep up appearances," she replied, completely missing the point of what Harry was meaning to ask.

"Couldn't you go with your friend's or something? I'm sure 'Lord Slytherin' wouldn't mind that." Unnoticed by Harry, Daphne's cheeks reddened slightly. She turned away slightly.

"I would still be expected be seen with you at some point in time. Since I had no idea what you were doing, this could not be arranged." Harry nodded in understanding.

"So why are you just walking around? Don't you have anything better to do?" Daphne stared at him.

"As far as I know, Theo is locked up in his dormitory doing Morgana knows what. Tracey, as you now know is in Hogsmeade, like all of the other people I am on speaking terms with, barring by sister, who is still not speaking to me." Daphne answered quickly. She coughed to clear her voice. "This essentially leaves the only person that I am willing to spend time with as you, hence why I was walking around the castle."

Harry looked at her with surprise, his mind beginning to process and extrapolate information. _"Does this mean she–"_

"Don't bother finishing that thought, Potter, I simply have nothing better to do," Daphne admitted, stopping Harry in the midst of his thought. Harry sighed and stood up.

"Well, without Ron or Tracey, we can't go down you-know-where, so why don't we just go to the library?" Harry asked innocuously. Strangely however, Daphne froze for a moment.

"I… just got back from the library, so I would prefer not to return so quickly," she replied, barely keeping the stutter out of her tone.

"Why don't we just walk around the castle then?" Harry asked, beginning to feel a sense of déjà vu occurring.

"That sounds suspiciously like a date, Potter, are you sure you heard–"

"Well, I have nothing else to do either, so we either walk or do nothing," he snapped back, breaking the cycle. Daphne looked surprised at the usually passive Harry but stayed herself briefly, wanting to keep him from manifesting the demonic temper she had heard so much about.

"Couldn't we play chess or something?" she suggested weakly. Harry raised an eyebrow.

"I am nowhere close to a match for you, neither of us would gain any enjoyment from it," he replied in a strange tone before walking out of the courtyard. "You coming?"

Daphne blinked in surprise before rising as well. "Fine then, Potter, lead the way."

" _It is best to accede to his wishes for now,"_ she thought as she followed him out.

* * *

 _Location: Hogsmeade High Street_

Ron walked slowly behind Tracey as she latter seemed to prance around ahead like a child. The pair had just narrowly 'escaped' the boredom of listening to Sirius and Kirsten's conversation. Soon after explaining where Harry was, the two adults seemed to shift into what Tracey described as 'work mode'. Whatever truly happened didn't matter to Ron for he had no idea what was going on.

Thus, when Tracey decided to sneak out using the cloak which Sirius had slipped back to her some time ago, Ron couldn't have been more pleased. That is, until he realized that he had nothing else to do. Unfortunately, for all his strategies and tactical capabilities, Ron was not a person who made a habit of thinking beyond the battle. And so, he simply walked behind Tracey and hoped something interesting would come up.

"Ron! Stop being so slow!" Tracey called, apparently having stopped to wait for him. The redhead frowned again but did not increase his pace, causing Tracey to pout as he arrived.

"What's the point?" he asked, "It's not like we have anything better to do," he said as he hoped for the opposite. Whether it was his pride speaking or otherwise, Ron simply didn't want to go back to the castle yet, where his peers would undoubtly tease him for getting his 'date' cut short, despite his own insistence to the contrary.

"What's wrong?"

Ron cast a quick look at Tracey, who was looking at him curiously as he caught up to her. He shrugged and simply continued to walk. Behind him, Tracey pouted and walked slightly quicker to catch up. The two began a short walk of silence as one brooded and the other wondering why her companion was brooding. It didn't take long for the girl's boredom to overwhelm her desire to keep silent.

"Geez, Ron, what gives?"

Ron looked questioningly at her. For this short while, his mind had been at work on the current British and Irish Quidditch League table, wondering how his favourite team (the Chudley Cannons) could be able to pull off a win at some point as they were currently on a(nother) losing streak thanks to a poor team. In fact, Ron had been so deeply engrossed, he only barely heard Tracey's call. Looking at the clueless Ron, Tracey folded her arms.

"Isn't there anything you want to do?" she questioned. Ron shrugged again and went back into his thoughts, much to Tracey's chagrin. "Seriously?" Another shrug from Ron. Tracey sighed loudly before an imaginary lightbulb went off in her head.

"Alright, I have an idea. I'm going to go around doing the things I want to do. You get to accompany me." Ron had been nodding gently yet noncommittally as Tracey spoke, a tactic he had picked up from Seamus years ago when the Irishman had 'accidentally' irritated Lavender Brown to the point where she began a tirade against him in the common room. As the girl was somehow appeased by Seamus's actions, Ron concluded that it likely would work on other girls, which it seemed when his mother or Ginny were nagging him.

"Good!"

Ron was startled by Tracey's loud proclamation and found himself confused by the grin that she had on her face.

"What?" he asked.

"Let's go to the Three Broomsticks first, I need a drink!" Tracey said overly cheerfully. "You're paying," she added with a wink.

Ron was perplexed at the once again seemingly prancing Tracey who skipped towards the famous pub, ignoring the looks thrown in her direction by onlookers. Still not really knowing what was going on but not having anything better to do, Ron simply followed.

* * *

 _Location: Beech Tree by Black Lake_

One of the most famous landmarks in the area around Hogwarts is the enormous beech tree that was planted on the shoreline of the Black Lake. It is said that Helga Hufflepuff and Salazar Slytherin, both renowned Herbologists in their day, erected this tree the day that Hogwarts Castle began by the master architect of the school whose name has been lost to the ages.

Whatever its origins, the tree is nonetheless known for having stood for many, many long centuries. In its many years of indirect service to the school, many a student have rested under its cooling branches, studied or even played games. Some of the greatest and worst memories of students have been made under this tree, from proposals to public humiliation, all have been observed by this seemingly immortal force of nature. And now, another memory would be made at this very spot.

Harry and Daphne walked around the shoreline of the black lake on Hogwarts' side. Daphne rarely ventured out into the castle grounds simply out of preference, while Harry rarely had time to walk around for no reason as his homework schedule would usually keep him busy throughout. However, Daphne's overbearing insistence on him completing his assignments on time had forced him to finish his work far quicker than he usually would have thus leaving his afternoon unnaturally free.

The pair had walked in relative silence, not because they had no topics to speak about (they didn't but that wasn't the reason) but because they were both trying to figure out what they could do. You see, despite having spent so much time together, both literally and relationship-wise, Harry and Daphne found that they (still) barely knew one another, a fact that Tracey liked pointing out and one that Harry was now finding.

As a result, Harry wanted to attempt to get to know the blonde a bit better, if only to help make their future 'dates' less awkward. Soon they reached the bottom of the giant tree, where Harry sat down with a thud. It was rare that he would ever come here as Hermione insisted on studying indoors in the confines either the library or the common room so he had only been here once or twice. However, sitting under the cool shade prompted him to make a mental note to thank Neville for recommending this spot to him.

"I am not sitting here." Harry arched an eyebrow at the pompous-sounding girl who had her arms folded on her chest.

"The ground isn't wet or particularly dirty," he replied flatly. Daphne harrumphed and he frowned. "Look, if you want to go somewhere, then go. I'm staying here," he said resolutely. With this line, he reclined onto the grassy ground, getting comfortable. Daphne bit her lip as she weighed her options. With no small a sigh, Daphne too sat down onto the ground next to Harry.

"There, it's comfy isn't it?" Harry asked. Daphne ignored him and simply stared at the sky. As with most days, the sky was quite clear as the clouds moved at a quick speed above them. The sound of the spring breeze, coupled with the sweet scent of the morning air filled Daphne's senses.

A thud.

Daphne found herself lying on the floor, relaxing. Part of her felt undignified to be lounging in such a manner but she found herself unable to resist relaxing further.

Beside her, Harry had seemingly gone to sleep. His arms were folded below his head, giving it a place to rest as his chest moved up and down in a harmonic manner. _"Potter's right, this place is comfortable…"_ though Daphne as she felt a wave of drowsiness. She quickly shook herself to keep herself awake and instead drifted her thoughts back to what had happened earlier. A large frown erupted on her face as she began to think.

As she had told Harry, she had just left the library though for a reason other than actually having completed what she wanted to do. Midway through her Charms essay, she began overhearing gossip about herself from a group of second-year Hufflepuff and Gryffindor students. Out of curiosity, Daphne used a subtle **Hearing-Extension Charm** to scope out what they were saying. As expected, the comments were quite vague and mostly completely off point. Then they mentioned a certain word beginning with …

That was as much as Daphne could handle before she ended up walking over to the nosy gossipers. Daphne was surprised when the girls almost jumped out of their seats when they saw her approach, apparently Daphne's reputation preceded her. Unfortunately, Madam Pince saw this confrontation and had scolded her for 'disrupting the peace' and had all but thrown her out of the library. Irritated, she went to find something else to do, which had led her to Harry.

Annoyingly, it seemed that he had nothing to do either, leaving her with nothing to do and being unable to escape, lest instigate the rumors that she and Harry had been trying so hard to keep at bay. Unfortunate as it were, Daphne decided to relax for a while. She began using the breathing technique she had taught Harry all those months ago before he fought the dragon, hoping to relax herself so that she could wait until the boy arose. However, the wave of drowsiness came back in full force and Daphne found herself drifting off into slumber.

Beside her, Harry sighed in relief. Unbeknownst to Daphne, she had been exuding an incredibly icy aura a few moments ago which had barely ceased. If one were to have walked close by from Daphne's side, one would wonder why it appeared to be so cold. In fact, the lake shore in front of them was so cold that one would think that it could have frozen from the coldness exuded by the blonde! However, since the effect had ceased upon Daphne's sleep, Harry felt himself relax. In a few moments, he too drifted off into dreamland.

* * *

 _Location: Zonko's Joke Shop, Hogsmeade Branch_

Ron watched with no small amount of amusement as Tracey fended off another 'attack' from –

"We'll get you next time!" shouted a third year Gryffindor who Ron barely recognized as the boy fled with his accomplices from a laughing Tracey after their failed assault. He couldn't help but chuckle for a moment but stopped once he realized he had done so. Tracey threw him a look but he ignored it and feigned ignorance.

"Do you know them?" Tracey inquired, to which Ron shook his head. The girl smirked at continued browsing the wares of the shop and Ron went back to doing so as well. He didn't have much interest, given that Fred and George usually used him as a guinea pig for many of their countless 'experiments', giving him a slight aversion to many of the products in the shop. Nevertheless, it was not too bad here, especially when a foolhardy third-year would try to ambush –

Laughter sounded from Tracey as she was able to redirect a Fanged Frisbee by catching it mid-flight, sending the serrated joke-item hurtling back towards the sender. A yelp of terror came from the person who threw the Frisbee first and he apparently ran on sight. Tracey smirked as Ron silently applauded mentally.

"How'd you figure out how to do that?" he asked. It had taken Ron almost two years of getting hit for him to learn how to counter his brother's bladed 'assault'. While the toys were not very painful, they still did sting quite a bit. Tracey shrugged.

"Lightning-fast reflexes and practise I guess, your brothers are much sneakier about it," she replied casually. Ron looked questioningly at her, to which she arched an eyebrow. "Remember that incident last month?" Ron pondered for a moment before he noticeably reddened and Tracey continued. "Well after that, I've somehow become the prime target of your brothers' pranks". Ron whitened.

"I'll talk to –" Tracey shook her head and smiled gently.

"Don't worry about it, it's not like they actually harm me. Plus, what kind of Slytherin would I be if I couldn't handle some sixth-year Gryffindor pranks?" she said jokingly. The color returned to Ron's face as he sighed in relief. Though he did not notice it, Tracey's smile had grown slightly wider. She picked up the few items she wished to purchase.

"Wait for me outside," she said, "We'll go somewhere else after I buy this stuff." Ron chose not to argue and simply moved himself out of the store. It didn't take long for Tracey to come out with her goods.

"Well, let's go to J. Pippin's then! I've got a few things to pick up." Ron shrugged and followed the cheery girl as was routine. Thought the day wasn't particularly interesting for Ron as of yet, it was by no means boring, which Ron would stubbornly use as his reason for continuing to get 'dragged' around by Tracey.

"Where's this Potions place?" Ron asked. Tracey frowned and pointed at a celadon colored sign a few blocks away from Zonko's. Ron's mouth squeezed into an "o" shape as he followed the girl.

"I'm guessing you've never had to replenish your potions supplies," Tracey commented. Ron grunted in response and Tracey frowned. "You know, you really should practise more often. Professor Snape might not be the best teacher but that doesn't mean that you shouldn't work harder." Ron grunted again much to Tracey's disapproval. "I can't help you every time you mess up you know."

Ron shrugged but unconsciously made a note to do so. The pair continued to walk for a while in silence before Ron spoke up.

"How come you never tried for the Slytherin Quidditch Team? With your reflexes, you'd trounce Malfoy," he said somewhat vigorously. Tracey laughed.

"I'm glad you have such faith in my abilities, Ron," she said much to the boy's embarrassment. "But really, Draco is better than me on a broom, especially since he has formal training every time he is at home." Ron frowned by Tracey continued. "Plus there aren't any other girls on the team, so I'd hate to be the only one." Ron shrugged as the approached the shop. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see that Tracey slowed herself for a brief moment.

"And there's the blood issue…" she said extremely quietly. She had hoped that no-one would hear her but someone did, and said someone began to glare in rage. Tracey however quickly recovered from her brief stupor and walked into the Potions shop right after Ron.

J. Pippin's Potions was established by Jeremiah Pippins, an 18th Century potioneer who had achieved mastery in many forms of Potion-making, though never specializing in any specific field. As a result, he opened a shore that sold potions for all kinds of daily use, from cleaning to healing to physical enhancement and more. Amongst these items were potion-making materials, many of which that were not stocked in the next-door "Dogweed and Deathcap", a store which specialized in Herbology-related goods.

Upon entry, Ron found himself slightly astounded at the sheer variety of the goods supplied. Unlike the dreary potions dungeons that Ron was used to, this store was vibrant and colourful, with a red carpet and many decorations that covered the walls of the store. A multitude of talking signs flew around the store, explaining what a particular potion or ingredient was to a person who lingered for too long. Ron quickly found himself left behind as Tracey dashed to the front desk.

A woman in her late thirties was at the desk, writing out something undecipherable on a fresh piece of parchment. The woman looked up as she heard the oncoming footsteps and her gaze softened slightly at the sight.

"Ah, Miss Davis! I was wondering when our next meeting would be." Tracey beamed.

"Mrs. Velaryon! It is good to see you again!" she said, a bit too loudly for the fitful signs, which hushed the girl much to Ron's embarrassment. Tracey and Mrs. Velaryon appeared to not share this sediment however, as they had continued their conversation, though in hushed tones which Ron couldn't hear properly. He was about to walk closer to hear when he was stopped with a contemptuous tone.

"Given your conduct in my lessons, Mr. Weasley, you can expect my surprise to see you in such an establishment." Ron attempted to hide his scowl as he turned to face Severus Snape. The professor sneered.

"Oh, Severus, I see you have joined us as well!" called the voice of the lady at the front. Snape inclined his head in response.

"Eleanor," he said quietly. Tracey offered a small bow and a greeting which Snape took to stride as he walked towards the desk. Tracey quickly jumped out of the way, though Snape shook his head. "Please, Miss Davis, conclude your conversation quickly so as to not waste neither Mrs. Velaryon's, nor my time," he said in his detached tone. Tracey's face held no emotion, though Ron frowned at the manner the man was speaking to one of his best students. For a brief moment, she glanced at Ron before looking up to the professor.

"Oh no sir, my conversation is completed. I merely wished to ask about the new stock that will be supplied in the coming year," Tracey said formally. Snape raised an eyebrow but chose not to comment. Instead he looked back towards the shop-owner.

"Eleanor, may I please request a standard sample of boomslang skin, three samples of bicorn horn, five samples of doxy eggs and a sample of moonstone." Ron reacted as he recognized two of those ingredients and, for a moment, would swear that he felt Snape glare at him despite the fact that his back was turned. The woman gave the professor a brief questioning glance before chuckling.

"My, my, still so formal, Severus." She turned to the children. "Run along now, the adults must discuss matters. Ron looked confused but Tracey quickly walked to his side, bowed gently (and pulled Ron downwards along with her) before quickly walking out the door, dragging the still perplexed Ron with her. They walked few paces before she let go of Ron.

"What was that about?" he questioned with a slight hint of temper. Ron had wanted to carry on listening to the conversation and was slightly incensed that he had been prevented from doing so by someone he called friend. However, his irritation was stalled when he saw the look on Tracey's face. Unlike her usual, sunny disposition, Tracey currently carried a look of intense focus, coupled with a dash of barely veiled anger.

"Um… Tracey?" he asked bravely. He braced for the possible backlash from his statement and was surprised to see that Tracey did not yell or strike at him. Instead, the look on her face drastically reduced in intensity.

"Sorry, I got a little carried away there," she said regretfully. "It's just…" It was obvious that she was uncomfortable, if not outright embarrassed at her prior behaviour. Attempting to neutralize her mind-set, she coughed once and continued. "Those ingredients Professor Snape mentioned, you know the boomslang skin and the bicorn horn?" Ron nodded. "Those aren't commonly used potions ingredients. In fact, the boomslang skin isn't even available to the general public because of its scarcity and how dangerous potions made using it can be." Ron nodded at Tracey's explanation.

"How so?" he asked naturally. Tracey was surprised at Ron's apparent interest and quickly answered.

"Well, shedded skin is usually used in potions that involve transmutation, or the act of changing something into something else. Boomslangs are also notoriously dangerous, and so their skin is very potent and therefore extremely dangerous to work with. Many of these potions will explode in your face if brewed incorrectly or cause horrible side effects when taken, which is part of why it is considered dangerous. Of course, the effects of those potions can be equally dangerous, with side effects is overused or improperly used–"

"Like the Polyjuice Potion!" Ron blurted out. Tracey looked astonished.

"Yes… that is correct…" she said slowly. "How did you know that?" Ron blinked and resisted the urge to smack himself for saying something that could be considered incriminating considering the circumstances. After a terse moment, Tracey sighed.

"Look Ron, we can both guess the reason why Professor Snape would need to replenish such rare ingredients from his _private_ storage." Ron looked slightly uncomfortable at the girl's words but stood his ground. "You haven't stolen anything from Professor Snape, have you?" she asked quietly. Ron remained silent for as long as he could, which unfortunately still answered Tracey's question as given by her disappointed expression. Ron noticed his tactical error a moment too late. With nothing to gain from keeping silent, he gave as little information as he could.

"Not this year, no." Ron felt very uncomfortable at Tracey's look and quite embarrassed at having to reveal the truth so easily. This feeling subsided as Tracey lightly chuckled.

"If a third-year or lower trio of Gryffindors can sneak into Professor Snape's private storage, he really needs to upgrade his security wards," she said with a small smile. "Don't worry," she added with an afterthought, "I won't mention a word to anyone about it." Ron looked slightly better at her words, though still thoroughly embarrassed by the tactical loss he suffered. _"This can't get worse, can it?"_

"As 'payment' for my silence, you're treating me when we get to Honeydukes!" she said brightly before walking off in the direction of the sweets shop.

"This is extortion," Ron grumbled, much to Tracey's amusement.

* * *

 _Location: Beech Tree by the Black Lake_

After what seemed like hours, Daphne drowsily woke up. At first, she had no memory of what had transpired before she slept, only that she was in an unfamiliar place. The glow of the setting sun warmed her face as she slowly opened her eyes. A quick breeze suddenly swept through the air, blowing up the grass from the ground. Daphne sneezed softly.

" _Huh, why am I on my side?"_ she thought as she began to get up. Her vision was still murky as she looked around. She could make out the figures of what she assumed to be people around, though there were not many. As her senses came back to her, she felt something soft on her cheek and something wet below her mouth but couldn't process what those things were. Her gaze turned towards the lake in front of her, where a person was sitting on the shoreline, gazing back at her.

"Good sleep, Daphne?" Harry said cheerfully. And thus, Daphne's mind jolted and she sat up straight. At a seemingly superhuman rate, Daphne processed the information in front of her.

She had fallen asleep in an undignified manner.

She had awoken in a possibly even worse state.

A male had been watching over her as she slept.

In a flash, Daphne had quickly drawn her wand and pointed it at Harry. Six curses were on her lips as she watched the boy yelp and jump back, landing gently in the water.

"Woah!" Harry exclaimed with alarm. Looking directly across at the girl, he was faintly surprised that he could notice a blush on her face. A few terse moments passed, with Harry having his wand partly drawn in case of a potential assault.

"One favour," Daphne said as quietly as humanly possible

"What?" Harry asked. A furiously blushing Daphne glared at him.

"I owe you one favour! That is all," she said, doing her best to keep composure. Harry breathed a sigh of relief. He had some idea of how volatile the girl could be and had already been running combat scenarios in his head were they to actually clash.

He had woken much earlier than Daphne had and was incredibly surprised at the fact that the proud girl had fallen asleep so soundly next to him. Her expression of relaxation made him quickly decide to not interfere with her sleep and instead watch over her unconscious body. Apparently, his choice was correct as he now had a solution for a problem he had been pondering.

"Actually, I do have something I need some help in." Daphne gave him a look in acknowledgement and so he continued. "Remember how you told me to continue my studies in pure-blood matters?" Daphne nodded but frowned as she did not know where the conversation was going to be headed.

"Well, I looked through a part about 'line-theft' and it said something about leaving a faulty will behind. So…" he trailed off. Much to his surprise, Daphne pinched her brow. And sighed

"For once, Potter, I cannot actually help you directly. But in any case, why would you need a will? As far as I know, you have no rights to any property until you reach majority, which is also the age when people are entitled to make such a document." Harry fumbled a little.

"Well, I've got the cloak and the map and stuff," he said uncomfortably. "Plus I'm kinda in a death match, remember?" Daphne eyed him for another moment before groaning in irritation.

"To be honest, I have close to no clue about the laws and regulations around wills and testaments. Luckily for you however, I do happen to know a particularly good solicitor who might be able to help you. Since you are the last of your known family, I think you are entitled to it…" she mused. With a frown she turned to look at Harry directly.

"I don't know how much can be done but I can get you in contact with Kirsten Davis, Tracey's mother, who should be able to help with it. For now, just write down a basic list of where you want your stuff to end up. Assuming that your Gringotts account manager is capable, there should be some ground you can cover." Harry nodded gratefully and Daphne sighed.

"Honestly, Potter, I was under the assumption that you would ask me for a free meal of some sort, not legal procedures." Harry smiled.

"Well, I better get started doing that then," he said with a smile. Daphne shrugged.

"Lead the way, Potter." And so he walked back to the castle as Daphne followed, the thoughts that had plagued her head before her rest now all but forgotten.

* * *

 _Location: Tracey's Dormitory_

Daphne was lounging on a chair, waiting for the dormitory's owner to return. Time had passed oddly quickly as she and Harry poured over a few books of text, an experience that felt oddly nostalgic. Despite the long time they spent, Daphne conceded that the day was not wasted. Although she had not made much progress with getting to know him, it was nice to know that he would guard her when needed.

A knock.

Daphne looked up as Tracey walked in. The brunette tossed a pouch onto the table beside Daphne before unceremoniously throwing herself onto the comfortable four-poster bed.

"Hello Tracey, how was your day," Daphne said amusedly. She received a muffled reply, causing her to chuckle. Tracey sat up and threw a look at Daphne.

"Tiring," Tracey said with a moan. She heard another chuckle and tossed a pillow at her friend. Daphne easily saw it coming and dodged the projectile.

"Careful," Daphne said chidingly, to which Tracey stuck out her tongue childishly. Daphne frowned at her friend's action but did not comment on it. Instead, she looked at the pouch that Tracey had tossed onto the table. "Do you have my food?" Tracey pouted.

"I don't see why you couldn't just get Harry to magic it like he did for your birthday," she said grumbling. Though complaining, Tracey reliably produced two bars of Honeyduke's finest for Daphne, who accepted the tribute gleefully. Tracey frowned and continued with her short tirade. "Seriously, Ron's look when I bought it and my share was really awkward!" Daphne's gleeful look at her prize quickly turned to one of suspicion.

"You were with Weasley for the entire day?" Daphne asked. Tracey shrugged.

"Don't give me that look, I know you were with Harry for the whole day as well." Daphne flushed at the accusation.

"How–"

"Sophie told me. Apparently a lot of people saw you two by that really big tree beside the black lake." Tracey explained, pretending to be oblivious to her friend's embarrassment.

"Please stop…" cried the extremely embarrassed girl. Tracey chuckled at her minor victory.

"If it helps, Potter apparently wasn't staring at you during your 'nap'," Tracey continued, ignoring her friend's embarassement. "According to Sophie's 'sources' he just stared at the lake for the duration." Tracey then muttered something Daphne couldn't hear. The blonde took a breath to regain composure.

"Speaking of which, why were you with Weasley. And why did you need Potter's cloak?" Daphne asked accusingly. Tracey smiled.

"I just wanted to confirm something, that's all," she said in a sing-song tone. Daphne frowned.

"Please explain," Daphne asked, trying her best to retain a neutral tone.

"I now have an idea of the cloak's limitations," Tracey explained, "So we can use that information in the future." Daphne frowned

"And why would we ever need that information?" Tracey shrugged.

"We might need to sneak out somewhere in the future, who knows? Maybe we will go exploring somewhere…" Daphne raised an eyebrow.

"And why would we do something so Gryffindorish?" she asked with an accusing tone. Tracey smiled.

"Hey, I'm just being resourceful. Besides, I think we hang out enough with a pair of Gryffindors for them to rub off us." Daphne snorted in disbelief.

"I am inclined to disagree, for I have never, nor will ever be influenced by either of them," she claimed haughtily, raising her head in a supposedly dignified manner. Tracey began to chuckle as she thought about how Daphne had changed from completely shutting herself off to anyone but her family or Tracey at the end of last year to at least bothering to speak with Harry and Ron, even if it were using her icy persona rather than the 'real' Daphne that Tracey had known for so long. An idea began forming in her head.

"Really? And who was the one who spent an afternoon sleeping under a tree instead of furthering her studies, with a Gryffindor, no less?" Daphne's blush returned profusely.

"That… was a one-time affair," she claimed, much to Tracey's amusement.

"Sure it was," Tracey said, much to Daphne's irritation.

* * *

 _Location: Hogwarts Potion Master's Private Storage_

 _Date: Sunday, March 12_ _th_ _1995_

Potions Master Severus Snape silently patrolled a secret passage outside his private storage in the wee hours of the morning. Many years of practice and experience taught him the many different ways that a wayward student could sneak into his storage (some of which he himself had used many years prior).

He looked around with his silent gaze as he crept along as stealthy as the shinobi of legend were once said to. His usually billowing robes lay flat as he walked as a result of a charm he had developed almost a decade ago. And so his watch continued.

This was certainly not the first night Severus had decided to patrol his private storage since he had last discovered that it had been infiltrated a few weeks ago. Strangely, the only items he had found missing were bicorn horn, boomslang skin and gillyweed. It didn't take a genius to know that the former two were part of the infamous Polyjuice Potion.

Originally, Severus had suspected Potter and his friends to be the prime suspects of the crime, as they had been two years ago when Severus discovered those ingredients missing with traces of Granger's magical signature surrounding those containers. He would have acted much sooner, or course, save for the fact that he was forbidden from doing so by Dumbledore himself, who instead ordered him to secretly help them by monitoring their 'secret' cauldron of Polyjuice Potion inside the ghost's bathroom.

This situation, however, was different. Potter appeared to have no idea what gillyweed was when Severus questioned him and neither his, nor Weasley's recent memories pointed to making anything that would involve either bicorn horn or boomslang skin. Was he only able to examine Potter, Severus would still have suspected his motley crew but with both of them clear of suspicion? That pointed the culprit to being someone else.

Hence the reason why the Potions Master had decided to use a baiting tactic, making it obvious to as many people possible that he was going down to Hogsmeade to resupply his ingredients today. Bumping into Weasley, though, was happenstance though it did persuade him to take nightly patrols to catch the thief rather than wait for said person to slip up. Contrary to Dumbledore's belief, Severus's dislike of Potter (both of them) did not cloud him entirely from other options. Whomever had been taking his ingredients either had help from an elf or had access to extremely potent cloaking abilities or artefacts.

A sudden creak made Severus look up and wordlessly disillusion himself. He moved as stealthily as possible, hoping to catch whomever was there by surprise. No-one appeared to be there.

" **Homenum Revelio, Spritum Revelio, Cantamem Aparecium"** Three distinct waves of magic erupted from Severus's wand but nothing happened. Severus scowled but quickly rationalized that there were a very tiny number of people who could hide from his spell (grudgingly he included Potter and his posse in that figure, whose cloak was so potent that seemingly only the headmaster himself could detect them). A thought struck him and he quickly swished his wand in the shape of a cross.

" **Tenebris Revelio,"** he whispered softly, sending out a barely detectable yellow wave across the hallway. Slowly, a faint but very visible purple haze faded into view, causing Severus's eyes to widen. Whomever this infiltrator was, they had speed great enough to invade and escape Severus, as well as knowledge of some dark magicks even Severus was having trouble identifying. There were very few people with these capabilities and even fewer who would actually employ them effectively.

A large frown marred his face. Unlike the ones he would show his incompetent students, this frown was not of frustration or incredulity (of their incapability) but rather one of irritated acceptance. There was only one other person in the castle that could possibly identify this magic and as much as he hated doing so, Severus knew he would have to consult that man to get to the bottom of his problem.

" **Magicae Concesso, Concelo"** he incanted. The air around him seemed to suddenly freeze, including the purple haze before it once again faded from view. Without another word, Severus turned quickly and stalked back towards his office.

* * *

 _Spells Used:_

 _Hearing-Extension Charm – Auditis_

 _Homenum Revelio – Human-presence Revealing Charm_

 _Spritum Revelio – Sprite-presence Revealing Charm_

 _Cantamem Aparecium – Spell Revealing Charm_

 _Tenebris Revelio – Dark-[Magic] Revealing Charm_

 _Magicae Concesso – Magic Stasis Charm_

 _Concelo – Concealing Charm (General Disillusionment Charm)_

 _ **Next Time: Lockdown**_


	22. Chapter 22 - Lockdown

" _Text"_ – Thoughts

" **Text"** – Spellcast

" _Text"_ – Non-English Words

 _Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, JK Rowling does_

* * *

 _ **Chapter 22 – Lockdown**_

 _Date: Sunday, March 12_ _th_ _1995_

 _Location: Outside Slytherin Common Room_

A familiar scene was being played out again, as it did every weekend morning, as Harry Potter was somewhat awkwardly waiting for Daphne in front of the portrait of Linfred of Stinchcombe. Harry had recently found out why the portrait did not move from Tracey. Apparently, the painting was created in the twelfth-century, almost two centuries before 'animation' potions were first invented. Still though, Harry would swear that the figure in the painting would change its position a slight bit once in every while. Of course, Daphne would rebut this by pointing out that the painting had never been seen moving in at least the last few decades.

"We're here, Potter," came Daphne's voice. Harry turned around and Daphne frowned. "You should never leave your back unguarded. What if I was a person with malicious intent? You would have been stunned or worse." Harry frowned but accepted the chiding.

"You're making it sound like you _don't_ like getting escorted to breakfast, Daph," Tracey said with a smirk. "Maybe you need a longer nap or something…" Harry and Daphne flushed and the latter swatted at Tracey, who began to laugh at their mutually embarrassed looks.

"Please don't remind me," Harry half-begged. It was obvious to both girls that he had received a lot of teasing for the rumors that had floating around after yesterday's events. Daphne luckily held enough clout to prevent anyone from laughing at her directly (though who knows what goes on behind the scenes?). Tracey compromised and dropped the topic as they began to walk.

"Where's Ron?" she asked instead. Harry shrugged.

"Asleep." Daphne frowned.

"If he is not present, we are not permitted to use the chamber," she reminded. "So, wake him." Harry shrugged.

"Why do we need to use the chamber anyways? It's not like I know what the third task is yet. In any case, I told him to come down" The trio had made it to the stairwell that would take them up to the Great Hall. "I can't really prepare for something that I don't know."

"Fine then. We shall do our separate activities then," Daphne said neutrally. Harry nodded and walked off. Daphne sent a look at Harry, which Tracey took note of.

"And you never said thank you…" Tracey said in a fake-hollow voice. Daphne glared at her and sniffed loudly before walking up the stairs. Tracey followed along, withholding her laughter for the moment. They quickly entered the Great Hall after a short interval, settling down into seats on the Slytherin table. Tracey gave a quick glance to the Gryffindor table, seeing Harry and Hermione eating quietly close to one another. She gave Daphne a quick nudge and pointed, which Daphne looked at but did not seem to acknowledge.

"With all the pointing and stuff, I'd think you were Roper or something," commented a sassy voice. "Hello, Tracey. Sister."

Astoria Greengrass sat down in front of Tracey, who had returned the greeting to the younger girl. Daphne scowled.

"Have you finished your sulking yet, _dear sister_?" she asked irritatedly. Astoria gave her sister a look but did not say anything, instead getting some food to eat from the table. Daphne returned the glowering look and resumed her eating in silence. Tracey looked exasperated at the exchange.

"Oh come on, Tori, stop being mad at Daphne for what happened _three_ months ago." Astoria did not appear to be phased and simply continued her meal. Tracey moaned in frustration and turned to Daphne.

"Help out, would you!" Daphne arched an eyebrow.

"If Astoria insists on acting like a child, I will treat her as a child." This apparently had an effect on the younger Greengrass, who huffed.

"I'm not the one who claimed petty revenge by writing to our mother," she said plainly. Daphne looked incredulously at her sister, who had finally broken her three months of silence towards Daphne.

"Petty? He publicly humiliated me!" It was Astoria's turn to raise an eyebrow.

"And you returned the favour?" Astoria asked with an equal measure of incredulity. "Plus, doesn't his 'humiliation', benefit you in the long run? The school had pretty much accepted the two of you as a couple, even if there are a few who don't." Daphne glared at her sister but did not deny the validity of her statement. Astoria smirked triumphantly and quickly finished what was on her plate

"Well then, Tracey, sister, it has been a pleasant time but I must adjourn to the library to further by studies. Until next time." With this, she curtseyed and quickly hurried off. Tracey whistled.

"Wow! She's even speaking like you! Just how angry is she still?" Daphne ignored her and went back to eating. Tracey eyed her best friend.

"You should really sort it out you know. You're going to be spending a week basically alone with…" Tracey began before she noticed Daphne's expression. The blonde frowned and nodded slightly, much to Tracey's displeasure.

"Really, Daph?" Daphne did not answer and Tracey groaned, looking around to see if there was anyone less aggravating to talk to. By chance, her eyes flitted towards the high table and stopped at a pair of empty spaces on opposite sides of the table.

"Hang on, where's Professor Snape?" Tracey asked rhetorically. She glanced at the other teachers and a frown began to mar her face. "Moody's gone too."

* * *

 _Location: Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor's Office_

Bartemius Crouch Junior grimaced as he took another sip out of his hip flask. He no longer coughed as he drank down the vile Polyjuice Potion but it still stung his throat every time he consumed the dark red substance. Fortunately, he had already gotten used to the painful, bloating feeling that came alongside the transformation brought about by the potion, though it still stung whenever he had it take hold every morning.

The young death eater gave a wayward glance at the fireplace in his office, hoping wildly that it would suddenly light up and that his master's glorious tones would fill his world, commanding him with his edicts. But alas, Barty's delusions would not come to pass as the fireplace simply stayed as it had been for the past few hours or so.

Instead, Barty turned his attention to another matter at hand, the task he had been assigned by the Dark Lord to complete. Or rather, the task that was being completed despite his contrasting efforts. The man let out a displeased grunt, a sound he had long since become accustomed to hearing, as he turned his thoughts to the school children that were unintentionally foiling his plans. A blood traitor and an accursed half-mud.

In the months that had passed since the first task, not only had Potter's reputation slowly improved but the traitorous Greengrass heiress had outright jumped on the bandwagon with him. He! The one who had horribly injured (not slain, for the lord is immortal) their righteous Dark Lord! It had become equally obvious that the Davis brat had done so as well as her father's childish charm had been used by Potter during the second task.

" _Hmph, just like filth to think alike, using such an archaic spell,"_ he thought. Unfortunately, the pair's interference was gradually becoming a major detriment to Barty's task as Potter was now far more well prepared than he should be for each task and able to 'rely' on others rather than completely depend on Barty himself.

Barty swore as he verbally cursed "that damned Diggory" for not only failing to convey his message to Potter but also for using his idea for his own. Now with a total of 85 points, Diggory was the clear leader amongst the pack, with Krum in second with 76, Potter in third with 74 and Delacour last with a miserable 57. _"Typical for a filthy half-breed,"_ Barty thought with a grimace. If it were not for the fact that Diggory had hindered his plans, Barty would have praised the Diggory boy for his shrewdness (unintentional or not), much unlike what his house stood for, the 'completely idiotic' attribute of loyalty (as thought by Barty) which Hufflepuffs embodied.

The idiotic Longbottom and elf were no help either, thought an angry Barty as he recalled how hard he had pushed for the former to learn about aquatic plants all the way back in September, or that haphazard conversation he held with McGonagall about gillyweed that he had intentionally let the elf walk in on. _"Filth will be filth I suppose,"_ Barty thought with a scowl, _"No matter if they are lowlifes of blood-traitor spawn."_ Unfortunately for Barty, his plans to make Potter dependent on him were completely ineffective. A yell of frustration was curbed by Barty's occlumency training.

" _No matter, I will just have to come up with something even better in the next few months,"_ he thought grimly.

Knock, Knock.

Barty frowned as the door to his office was struck. He quickly composed himself, irritated as his paranoia.

" _Oh what is it now?"_ Barty thought with irritation.

"State your identity!" he barked gruffly.

"Moody, we need to talk," Snape said with his signature monotone, albeit slightly muffled due to the door.

" _Snape? What is he doing here?"_ Barty thought with surprise.

"Come in then."

Severus took a step into the office, quickly taking the surroundings into account. He had not set foot into this room since last year, where he had to deliver Lupin's potion on the night when Potter, Weasley and Granger had foolishly attempted to confront Black. Though that whole ordeal was later explained to him, Severus still felt slighted that a pair of third-years had managed to outwit himself, the Minister of Magic and multiple other officials. As petty as his revenge was, it did manage to perpetuate the changing of the D.A.D.A teacher without actually harming Lupin physically, a fact which Severus used as his reasoning his actions so when he was questioned by Albus and Minerva.

"What can I do for you?" Moody said grouchily. Severus unconsciously took note of his expression.

"I seem to have a slight problem on my hands," he said thinly. Moody stared at him using his real eye, prompting the man to continue. "It appears that a certain individual has been stealing ingredients from my private storage. As of yet, I am unable to determine who this individual is." Moody grunted.

"And? What do you want me to do about it?" he said grumpily. Severus tensed slightly. Despite the short amount of time he had been working with Alastor Moody, the older man had never been any less than helpful whenever asked and would quickly ask for clarifications on the situation no matter what it was. Severus's eye closed by a fraction as he was briefly reminded of the time when a certain student's claims that Moody was being impersonated, whom was quickly quelled because of the baselessness of her claims.

"It would be helpful if you could help me scout the area. I was unable to identify the methods of which this individual was able to evade me by. Perhaps your eye would be able to see what I was unable to," Severus answered. As if activated by Severus's words, the eye began spinning in a seemingly random motion.

"Ah damn it; it's acting up again." Severus mentally frowned. As far as he knew, the 'mad-eye' had never malfunctioned during the years which Moody had been using it, in and out of combat.

"Do you require any assistance?" Severus asked, expecting the man to decline. He was, however, surprised when Moody spoke.

"Fill the glass, it'll clean it." Severus wordlessly conjured up the requested water and watched as Moody plucked out the eye and dropped it into the water. As the man was preoccupied with the work, Severus decided to walk around. Unlike last year, the office was filled with dark detectors of all kinds, even some which Severus himself had never seen, likely prototypes of Moody's invention. This aligned with the old auror's paranoia, though it also could indicate other reasons for having so many defensive equipment in the room. Severus suppressed the urge to frown and shake his head. Perhaps he was reading too much into this? However, the spy in him decided to watch for any other clues.

"Done!" Moody said loudly. Severus watched as the man fished the eyeball out with a hand and quickly shoved the eye back into the socket. The electric-blue orb spun around a few intervals. Apparently this meant that the eye worked as Moody grinned at Severus. Severus returned the smile impassively and the two locked eyes for a brief moment. Moody's grin widened.

"Fine then, lead the way, Snape." Severus inclined his head as a mark of respect and opened the door.

"After you," Moody's grin dropped for an infinitesimal moment before he smirked.

"Never leave your back unguarded, good on you Snape." The man chuckled as though he had made a funny joke. When he saw Severus's lack of response he stopped. "Don't press your luck, Snape."

Severus nodded and walked out. A subtle wave of magic flowed through the corridor, which Severus must have reacted to unconsciously as Moody spoke.

"Compulsion, keeps people I don't like away." The blunt answer was as expected of the battle-hardened auror, though Severus could only accept it uneasily. Moody was acting strangely, especially for his hardened, routine self. Thinking back, Severus couldn't say that he had many interactions with the man since he had come to Hogwarts, barring a few incidents where the children of some death-eaters were found to be harassing other students. Severus had just thought it was Moody getting back at those who had evaded justice but…

Severus had to once again suppress the urge to shake his head. It wouldn't do to suspect Mad-eye Moody as the culprit.

After all, why on earth would he need supplies for a Polyjuice Potion? The moment that the question popped up in his mind, Severus quickly got an answer which raised another question.

Who on earth would be able to defeat Mad-eye Moody and successfully impersonate him for an extended amount of time?

"Something on your mind, lad?" Severus cursed his inability to think as quickly as some people he knew and shook his head swiftly. "Pick up the pace then!" Moody barked. The pair quickly made their way down Hogwarts's Turris Magnus. Few students were abounding the corridors at this time of day and those that were quickly jumped aside as the two professors silently made their way through.

As swiftly as pair moved, Severus could still feel a subtle but unfamiliar magic that emanated from Minerva's Office as they passed. The potions master quickly relaxed his muscles to avoid showing any reaction to it. If Moody noticed anything suspicious, he didn't show it. It didn't take long for the pair to reach the dungeons, where no students were present. Without any people to get in their way, the pair had made it to the Potions Professor's Office where Severus stopped.

" **Magicae Sileo"** he said monotonously. A quiet shattering sound could be heard and the purple haze that had taunted Severus reappeared as faint as it had yesterday. Severus quickly took a moment to inspect and make certain of his handiwork. Unbeknownst to him, the man behind him took that moment to scowl, unpleasantly surprised at how far Severus had gotten but quickly hid it before Severus had the time to look.

"Nasty stuff," Moody said, grimacing as Snape looked back at him. Severus's lips curled slightly.

"Any thoughts, Moody?" Moody appeared to grumble and think. Severus waited patiently for a few moments before the old auror spoke.

"I've seen something similar in the last war, some advanced disillusionment, I would say," Moody said. "Don't recognise the signature though." Severus nodded.

"Do you happen to know who casted the spell?" Severus asked. Moody grunted.

"Evan Rosier, slimiest bastard I had to fight." Severus inwardly frowned at the mention of that name. Evan Rosier's and Dominic Wilkes's last stand against Mad-eye Moody had been one of the few major duels that had occurred after the downfall of Voldemort. Rosier and Wilkes were two of the Dark Lord's most ardent followers and insisted on fighting on despite his apparent demise.

The skirmish in the outskirts of Birmingham had led to a vicious chase where multiple seasoned aurors were horribly injured by the various curses that were thrown indiscriminately at them by the death eaters. It had taken five aurors, including Moody himself, to subdue the two. Severus had heard how his old comrades had died that night, laughing as if it were all a giant joke as Fiendfyre burned around them before Wilkes was knocked into the blaze by an unerring hex as Moody himself slew Rosier with a well-placed Killing Curse, ending the twin terrors of the 'Pyromaniac' and 'Shadowmancer'.

Severus had later separately asked Moody about the more details of the battle. Despite everything, both Wilkes and Rosier had once been his comrades and Severus wished to know more about their last moments. This became their first official conversation, barring strategy meets during war councils.

Back then, Moody had given him a hard look, showing that he (naturally) didn't trust Severus before giving a few grisly details. As a testament to Severus's self-control, the man did not flinch as the auror vividly described the horrors the pair had wrought, including the results of their torture of random muggles to their deadly teamwork in combat. So potent it was that even Moody got caught out once and had thus gotten a large part of his nose blown off during one of the skirmishes. Severus felt a chill down his back after recalling the memories before getting an idea. He quickly reinforced his occlumency shields to their maximum before speaking again.

"Which spell did Rosier use to blow off your nose?" Severus asked, trying to sound casual. The right answer was, disappointingly, unknown. According to Moody, Rosier had seen the last curse coming but decided to let it strike anyways. As a parting shot, he cemented his legacy as the one who destroyed Mad-eye Moody's nose by using a curse which even Moody couldn't identify. Moody grunted and appeared to think hard before speaking, staring hard at Severus as he did so.

"Can't remember." Severus frowned. Moody's memory, while not as infallible as Dumbledore's, was still quite good. The many cells in Azkaban which he filled? He is said to know the names of each and every one he had locked in there. While not indicative of anything, this answer was suspicious.

"Can you remember anything about the fight?" Severus pressed. Moody frowned and shook his head.

"Nothing, just glad I killed that bastard."

Severus froze.

There were many stories and half-truths that surrounded the infamous Mad-eye Moody, some painting him as a blood-thirsty killer, others portraying him as a berserking warrior and countless others more. Severus had, in a moment of curiosity, asked Dumbledore himself about which depiction was the most correct. The old man laughed heartily when Severus pointed out some of the more infamous portrayals before he answered with five words.

"Alastor Moody is no killer."

Dumbledore did not go into detail but Severus had gotten enough from that short exchange. Moody may have killed during the war but had always tried to take prisoner rather than kill, only doing the latter when it was absolutely necessary. The duel against Evan Rosier had left countless bodies in the death eater's wake, including many of Moody's close friends and comrades. Even this was not what swayed him to kill Rosier, as Severus later realized but rather Rosier's mental instability at that moment. The apparent death of the Dark Lord had caused him to go into shock and subsequently break down mentally. Moody knew that sending him to Azkaban would be a fate worse than death and thus decided to kill him rather than take him prisoner. With these realizations, Severus could only come to one–.

" **Bombarda!** "

Severus's eyes widened at the unexpected explosion curse rocketed towards him, dodging laterally as it barely missed him.

"Tch," the man behind him grunted as he looked at Severus's dropped form. "Good dodge, Severus, I'll give you that."

"What is the meaning of this?" Severus asked waspishly. The man grinned eerily.

"Come of it, Sev, we both know that I am not Mad-eye Moody." The man laughed and pointed his wand at Severus.

" **Reducto!"** he shouted, causing the jet of blue air to rocket towards Severus. He quickly leapt back with the reflexes he had honed so many years ago in his school days, allowing the spells to crash relatively harmlessly onto the floor. The man frowned.

"Well it's been fun but I must return to our lord. Goodbye Severus." Severus's eyes widened as the man flicked his wand in the shape of an 'm'.

" **Veneno Scorpius!"** A fine lavender mist quickly erupted from the tip of the wand, quickly filling the corridor. Although Severus didn't recognise the spell, he intuitively felt the danger that emanated from the curse. Without a better option, he drew his wand towards the floor.

" **Protego Praesidium Taurus."** A reddish figure erupted from Severus's wand, colliding quickly with the floor. It seemingly erupted a few moments later, creating a giant translucent wall that covered the entirety of the corridor. The mist collided with the wall, producing a loud hissing noise but did not penetrate through. Slightly winded from casting the intensive spell, Severus leaned against the wall and panted.

Using his brief moment of reprieve, Severus got to work thinking. The person who had impersonated Moody was not a person to be trifled with, even Severus himself would have lots of trouble dealing with him. Coupled with the usage of at least two dark spells that he didn't recognize, Severus knew he was dealing with an exceptionally dangerous man.

He quickly focused on the situation at hand. The person's escape from his sight was problematic, though he was unlikely to be able to make it out of the castle proper. This came from the castle's own defences, disallowing any form of human teleportation within the castle walls, including Portkeys, apparation and even the Floo network, sans the Headmaster's fireplace. Though there were many secret passages out of the castle, almost all of them were either blocked or rendered the user detectable by the Headmaster.

Severus stalked over to the door of his office, intending grab a few marital potions in case of emergency. To his surprise, he found that it was magically locked.

" **Alohomora Duo."** Nothing.

" **Portaberto."** The same result.

" **Open Sesame!"** The spell slammed against the door of his office, creating a large cloud of dust in the process but leaving the door completely intact. Severus swore loudly. It appeared that the impostor had thought of everything.

So instead, Severus turned his thoughts to trying to pursue the impostor. Given that they had successfully impersonated a teacher for a while, the impostor likely knew of some of the secret passages around the school, a fact that Severus now knew that he or she would exploit. Without another word, he quickly turned and walked towards the nearest one, intent on catching the impostor before anyone could get hurt.

However, a few thoughts lingered on his mind.

Who was this mysterious impostor? How did they defeat Mad-eye Moody? Did he (Severus) know that person in the past? And how is that person going to get to the Dark Lord, whose location was still unknown to anyone?

Severus grimaced, trying to think of any clues as to the person's identity as he walked towards the passage. He cursed his own lack of interaction with the old man but continued to think regardless. The impostor had been very meticulous in keeping to the real Mad-eye Moody's actions and speech, to the point where almost no-one suspected him at all. This called for a very good level of espionage. The man was also quite obviously a death eater, who had known Severus enough to call him by _that_ name. A moment of anger surfaced in Severus's mind which he calmed. _"That person is really crafty,"_ Severus thought. There were very few who would ever call him that, which narrowed the list further.

Severus's footsteps quickened as he made his way to the front of a passage. With a thought and a wave of his wand, he quickly opened the pathway and strode in. As he walked he pressed his mind further for clues of this person's identity. They disliked the children of death eaters but was one themselves, that probably meant that they were one of the Dark Lord's more extreme followers.

Severus came to a momentary halt. His deductions had reached a dead end. There was no-one who was known as an extremist but wasn't either dead or imprisoned in Azkaban. Severus was at a loss. Clearly, this person had to fit those roles, so how could this be? Azkaban had not been noted to have had any breakouts since Black, so that ruled out people like Bellatrix, Rodoluphus or Anatoly.

Frustrated, Severus decided to mentally go through the list of Death Eaters that he knew of and hoped to dig up a shred of detail. Though many identities were kept secret, Severus was able to figure out many of them simply from interactions and recognized many from his school days. And thus, he had a somewhat incomplete but good list of people he knew that were a part of the organization.

" _Jackson Avery Jr., KIA during the ATT raid. Jeremiah Avery, imprisoned after the same conflict. Brandon Burke, KIA during Bones family massacre,"_ Severus mused grimly. He was forcefully making himself recall some of the darkest times in his memories, where his choice had led to so much pain and suffering. It hurt to remember it but he nonetheless pressed on. _"Archibald Carrow., KIA facing Langstrom, Bartemius Crouch Jr.…"_ Severus stopped thinking for a moment. He remembered Barty well, an exceptionally bright Ravenclaw a few years his junior whose mental fortitude granted him exceptional occlumency and legilimency abilities, as well as fantastic espionage skills. Severus also idly recalled how madly he had pursed Aurora Sinistra back in the …

Severus started. It had always been strange to him that a person like Barty Crouch would so easily fall to the dementors, merely a few months after being incarcerated. Honestly, it made far more sense that Barty had somehow escaped Azkaban in secret, leaving the officials to cover up the escape by pronouncing him 'dead' instead. A chill ran down Severus's spine.

Barty was one of the greatest infiltrators in the Knights of Walpurgis, having shown promise as young as his third year in Hogwarts. His skill in reconnaissance, stealth and especially acting were considered prodigious, even impressing the Dark Lord himself. He had risen through the ranks remarkably quickly that he was leading 'operations' barely after his own seventeenth birthday. If anyone would be able to ambush and defeat Mad-eye Moody, Barty Crouch Junior would be one of them. However, what cemented Severus's epiphany was–"

" **RIGOR MORTIS!** "

Still stuck in thought as he exited the passage, Severus was unable to anticipate the spell that struck him in the chest. He felt the effects of the curse immediately as every single muscle in his body completely refused to move as they tightened excruciatingly. His eyes shut and he could barely hear. The man, now revealed to be Bartemius Crouch Junior cackled.

"Took you long enough, traitor!" he said gleefully. Severus couldn't move at all. "I was surprised though, that a half-mud like you would be able to figure out who I was first." Severus quickly realized that Crouch was able to glimpse his mind all along through his subtle legilimentic abilities. The cackling grew even louder, signalling that Severus was right. Severus cursed his own lack of practise.

"Too bad for you, unable to do anything with that information," said a grinning Barty. The Polyjuice potion was beginning to wear off, Barty's straw blond hair beginning to mix into Moody's grey hairs.

"Now, I'm off to return to our lord. I'll be sure to tell him exactly what you've been up to these few years." Barty took a few steps away. A clunk. A pop and the sound of a dropped marble. It appeared that Barty's potion was wearing off.

"Much better," he said. "But I might as well take this with me." Barty pocketed something and quickly walked off. In the distance, Severus could hear him cursing Aurora Sinistra's name. Knowing that Barty far enough away, Severus summoned up the remainder of his willpower. The madman was correct, Severus himself was completely incapable of stopping Barty. However, he had one last option. Making a quick decision, he summoned up the happiest memory he could remember, the first time he had lain his eyes on his beloved…

" **Expecto Patronum,"** he mentally incanted, pushing as much magical power as he could muster into the spell. A magnificent doe burst forth from the tip of his wand and landed gracefully next to him. The creature bowed its head, as though awaiting instructions.

A moment later, the doe nodded and quickly sprinted off. If Severus could move his mouth any more, he would have turned it to its typical sneer. Hopefully, Potter would get his message in time and not make a rash decision like confronting the man alone. With that last thought, Severus Snape's consciousness faded from him.

* * *

 _Location: Staircase atop the Entrance Hall_

Ron Weasley yawned loudly as he made his way down from Gryffindor Tower. Harry had left him a note to meet him at the Hall when he awoke, a request that Ron decided to follow simply because he had nothing better to do. A sudden wave of magic flowed through the air, which Ron felt but paid no mind. After all, this was a school for magic, something like this was bound to happen. Instead, his thoughts drifted back to the teasing that he was bound to continue to receive as a product of yesterday's activities, making him grunt grumpily as he reached the ground floor.

Suddenly, a large blue figure galloped out of the steps leading to the dungeon. Ron leapt back in surprise, thankfully not landing back onto the stairs as the beast trotted up to him. Before Ron could speak, the creature's mouth opened wide. Speaking in Snape's sneering yet monotonous tone, the beast said.

"Moody is Crouch. Find Dumbledore. Stop Crouch." Without another word, the figure vanished, leaving an utterly perplexed Ron. It took him a few moments to process what had just happened. He had, of course, recognized that the creature was a Patronus (though it had taken him a few moments to do so). He too recognized the condescending tone that came from the creature's mouth and briefly wondered why Snape would contact him of all people.

Suddenly, as if waking up, Ron had an epiphany. He quickly dashed into the Great Hall and located Harry, who was still in the midst of eating. There were very few students still present in the hall at this time of day as breakfast was almost over. Harry noticed Ron's frantic advance and was about to greet his best friend when the redhead started to speak.

"Harry, Moody is Barty Junior Crouch, we need to find him and Dumbledore," he babbled quickly. Harry gave him a perplexed look as he had no clue what Ron was trying to say. Seeing his reaction, Ron calmed himself and panted slightly, looking downwards.

"What is it Ron?" Harry asked, becoming aware of the looks that they were receiving. It had just been a few minutes since the wave of magic had pulsed through which had led to many students' conversations. Harry had felt a strange feeling in his forehead when the pulse had hit, as though his scar was resonating with the magical pulse. He had been in the middle of pondering it when Ron had burst in a few moments earlier.

Without warning, another wave of magic pulsed, sending the great oak doors of the Great Hall shut. Panic set in as the students were confused as to what had just happened and some students ran to the doors, banging at them to attempt to force them open to no avail. Amidst the chaos, Hagrid and Professor Sinistra, the two present teachers, waded their way down to pacify the terrified students.

The redhead stopped panting and looked back up at Harry with an extremely serious expression. Instantly, Harry was on guard. He had only seen Ron make such a face twice before, once before he had sacrificed himself in the chess game three years ago and once more two years ago when they decided to enter the Chamber of Secrets to rescue Ginny. And thus, Harry listened with rapt attention.

"Harry, get the map, we need to find Dumbledore. The girls were right; some guy has been impersonating Moody." Despite the whispering, Ron's words were like thunder striking Harry, who looked at Ron with shock. He quickly fished out the Marauder's Map and touched his wand to it, saying the secret password that activated the map's functions. A few moments later, what was once a blank piece of parchment seemingly had ink growing all over it. It took a few moments for Harry to find Dumbledore, seemingly pacing at the front of his office. Strangely, almost every teacher was doing the same inside different rooms, save for Snape who was still, inside of what Harry assumed to be a secret passage.

"He's in his office," Harry said. He took another look at the map to try and find the name Barty Crouch Junior but failed to locate him quickly.

"Let's go get Dumbledore first," Ron said urgently. Harry nodded in agreement and quickly got up, running towards a pair of side doors. Unfortunately, their attempt at crashing through the doors ended miserably, causing the two boys to tumble onto the floor, nothing broken but their pride.

"Need some help?" asked a slightly teasing voice. The boys turned around and saw the two people they were hoping to avoid – Tracey and Daphne. Tracey had been grinning but that quickly stopped when she saw how serious Ron looked.

"Ron, what's–" Ron sighed, stopping her mid-speech.

"We don't have much time. Right now, we need to find Dumbledore." Even Daphne was surprised at how solemn Ron sounded and simply nodded.

"Very well and all but how do you propose we exit this room? Given that Professor Sinistra has already attempted to unlock the door without success, how would the four of us do it?" The boys didn't have an answer to that.

"Maybe if we just push harder?" Harry wondered. Daphne face-faulted.

"If it's magically sealed, we can't get through using brute force," she said with a deadpan. "Honestly Po –"

"Hey it opened!" Tracey said excitedly. Daphne turned and her jaw dropped. Tracey was right, it had opened.

"You know what, forget I said anything," Daphne said after spluttering in shock for a moment. "Lead the way, Potter." Harry nodded and quickly sprinted towards the stairwell with the other three in quick pursuit.

* * *

 _Location: Seventh Floor Corridor_

Barty half-ran, half-walked quickly as he made his way to the stairwell leading down to the sixth floor. He couldn't help but grin giddily as he made his way, with the mystical crown-shaped item that his lord had so graciously allowed him to use on his head. Apparently, this strange item was able to lock down the school itself … or at least that is what the Dark Lord himself said. What was stranger, though, was the place it was kept. Who knew that there was a secret room hidden in front of the painting of Barnabus the Barmy? Regardless of its actual capabilities, the object served Barty well.

Barty made it to the top of the stairwell before he remembered his lord's last command to him on the object. The Dark Lord insisted that he was to smuggle it out of the school if he had to use it, so Barty quickly pulled open his moleskin pouch and gently placed the headpiece into the pouch before continuing on with his journey.

It was difficult to not marvel at how powerful the item seemed to be. The usually ever-moving staircases, paintings and lights of the school were all eerily still, as though they had all stopped because Barty had possession of the item. Why the Dark Lord had not used it before was beyond him but Barty knew better than to question his lord. Perhaps it was the immense power drain that using the headband would cause? Barty could still feel it draining his reserved as he walked, though not at a rate that would disable him too quickly.

It hadn't taken much longer for Barty to reach the fourth floor corridor. He quickly walked past the frozen portrait of Vindictus Viridian, smirking as he looked at how the usually taciturn ex-Headmaster was frozen in an undignified yawning position. With some haste he continued to walk to his destination, a mirror which Wormtail said had a passage that lead out of Hogwarts.

It didn't take long for Barty to make it to said mirror. With a word, Barty opened up the passageway and stepped through. Freedom was at hand at last! Freedom from those smug, insolent brats who think too highly of themselves. Free from those filthy blood-traitor 'teachers' that he had to endure long and boring conversations with. And best of all, freedom from that brat who had dared to strike down his lord. Barty cackled with glee as he walked into the large open space that Wormtail had described… only to find it covered in giant boulders.

…

Barty swore loudly as he realized that his escape path was blocked. He could still feel the effects of the Hogwarts wards on him, meaning that he was still unable to apparate or portkey out of here. Blasting apart the rocks would take time and precious magical power, which he already used much of defeating Snape and using the crown. Were he to somehow break through the rocks, he would still have to combat the denizens of Hogsmeade on scene. Barty knew he was good at martial magic but had an idea as to where his limits lay.

With no better options, Barty went for the next passageway that Wormtail described. Hopefully, this time, he would be successful.

* * *

 _Location: Gargoyle Corridor_

It took a few short minutes before the four made it to the bottom of the stairwell leading to the Headmaster's office. Strangely, there were no people in the corridors, barring an angry Filch who yelled at them for running in the corridors, though it made meant that the quartet had a much easier time getting up to their destination. Naturally, Harry and Tracey arrived first, with Ron taking a few more seconds before Daphne arrived, evidently winded from exhaustion.

"I'm surprised though, Weasley, that you recognized what a Patronus message was," Daphne said when she arrived. Ron still had a serious look on his face as he answered.

"My dad uses them sometimes and he taught it to my older brothers," Ron said. Daphne was momentarily surprised before she remembered the Arthur Weasley was an adept Ministry official, even if he was quite eccentric (as pointed out grudgingly by her own father). Daphne herself had heard stories of the William and Charles Weasley who had graduated before her first year but had been some of the best students in recent years. In that moment, she realized that Ron's other brothers were no less talented. Apparently, her feelings were shown as Tracey gave her a knowing look. Daphne frowned and looked away, not willing to give Tracey the satisfaction of being right.

"It's locked," Harry said.

Daphne looked towards the large gargoyle that guarded the stairwell. It looked as ugly as ever as the girl walked forward to inspect it. From this proximity, Daphne could hear sounds coming from the other side of the wall. She frowned and drew her wand.

" **Cantamem Aparecium."**

The wave of light struck the gargoyle. For a moment, it seemed as though nothing happened but suddenly, an extremely large flash of light seemingly erupted from the gargoyle, blinding all four of them. For a few moments, none of them could speak or move as their eyes readjusted to the relatively dim corridor.

"There you are!" came an obnoxious sounding voice somewhere behind them. Still barely able to see, the quartet turned around but were barely able to make out the distinct shape of the cantankerous caretaker Argus Filch.

"I've got you now!" he said, waving his broom in the air. "You're sure to get yours now, setting off flashing Frisbees in front of the headmaster's office!" By now, the temporary blindness had subsided and the four turned back around to the door, ignoring the caretaker.

"So what was that?" Harry asked. Daphne shook her head and turned to Tracey, who shrugged. This began to infuriate the caretaker, who walked up to them in anger.

"Oi! You better listen or I'll put you in detention until you've–"

"Pardon me, Mr. Filch but we are slightly preoccupied at the moment," Tracey said, interrupting him. "You see, for some reason, the gargoyle here has been inflicted with a particularly potent bit of magic, one that seems to have been put on the entire school. The flash you just saw was us detecting it." Filch frowned.

"And why should I believe you?" he said, folding his arms. Daphne and Ron looked exasperatedly at Tracey for even attempting to reason with the man but did not intervene. Tracey smiled and answered.

"Try opening one of the doors. You'll find that they have been locked. Even the headmaster's gargoyle is out of operation." Filch's eyes widened at that last comment before they narrowed.

"If you are lying, you four are going into detention for the rest of your days here," Filch said seriously. Daphne raised an eyebrow discreetly but didn't speak as Filch walked over to the gargoyle, raising a gloved hand towards the stone structure.

" _What can he possibly do that we couldn't? For crying out loud, he is a squib!"_ Daphne thought. A quick look towards the others showed that they had similar thoughts.

"Stand back, brats," Filch said. Without any other warning, the rheumatic man launched himself forward, his clenched fist colliding with the head of the gargoyle. Much to everyone's surprise, a shattering noise was heard as he battered the gargoyle and the stone wall behind it. Seeing nothing else happening, Daphne raised an eyebrow.

"And what was that meant to do?" she asked. Filch ignored her and walked back a few steps.

"All clear, headmaster!" he bellowed.

Another moment later, the wall exploded, causing an extremely large cloud of dust to appear. From the wreckage of what was once the gargoyle guarding the headmaster's office came Dumbledore. Daphne took one look at the man and saw what could only be described as a different person. The usual twinkle in his eye was gone, as were the gentle, grandfatherly nature and smile. What was left was the visage of a furious warrior. In that moment, Daphne understood why this man was considered the most powerful wizard alive, why he was the only one feared by both Voldemort and Grindelwald. Dumbledore seemed to irradiate power from every inch of his body, almost as though he were a god. Every step he took seemed like a thunderclap as invisible waves of force formed as he moved. Dumbledore looked down at Filch, who was awkwardly attempting to bow. The anger subsided somewhat, though the aura of power still remained.

"Ah, Argus, thank you for your work." Filch inclined his head slightly further.

"No problem, sir," came an obedient reply. Dumbledore smiled for a moment before his rage returned.

"I know you are tired but would you be able to escort me to the battlements of the Defence against the Dark Arts Tower? Unfortunately, my knowledge of the castle's secret passages is dwarfed by your own. Filch nodded.

"It would be my honor, sir." Dumbledore 'eye-twinkled' at the man before turning back to the quartet.

"I am sorry to have to involve you in such a matter but it would be extremely helpful if at least one of you go towards the Training Grounds. I believe Mr. Crouch to be heading in that direction." Ron looked surprised and was about to speak when Dumbledore raised his hand.

"Time is of the essence, Mr. Weasley. May I answer your queries later?" Ron looked dumbfounded to be directly addressed by Dumbledore and simply nodded. The wizened wizard turned to Filch to had begun walking away before he tapped a rock with his fist. Dumbledore flicked his wand in the direction, pulverizing the rock and revealing a tunnel nearby.

"May we all be successful in our missions," Dumbledore said gravely before vanishing into the passage. Immediately, the air around them loosened and all four fourth-years let out a breath they didn't know they were holding. It took a moment for them to recollect themselves.

"Well, let us go," Daphne said, after she brushed off some of the dust on her robes. Harry and Ron looked confused.

"Wait… aren't you Slytherins meant to be all about self-preservation or something? Why are you coming along to such a dangerous mission?" Harry asked. Daphne raised an eyebrow.

"The headmaster essentially gave us a direct order. It would be unwise to do otherwise," Daphne said, tossing her head back. Tracey nodded in agreement so the boys shrugged.

"Fine, let's go."

* * *

 _Location: Hogwarts Training Grounds_

Barty was grumbling irritatedly as he walked towards the final and furthest passage out of the school. Wormtail's advice had been all but useless. _"How am I supposed to swim through half the Black Lake to get out? Or waltz through Honeydukes without being spotted? The dark lord specifically stated to escape without allowing any means to follow, including magical signature"_ he thought irritatedly.

The Hogwarts Training Grounds were a large open field where first-years were taught flying lessons by Madame Hooch, as well as a semi-popular area for people to practise open-field duelling or simply to walk around. The fields were overlooked by two large towers and extended far beyond the castle itself. If one walked much further, they would reach a hill. Atop this hill was one of Hogwarts's greatest dangers (known to most people), the infamous Whomping Willow. Barty frowned at how exposed he was but shrugged it off.

Unexpectedly, Barty intuitively felt something wrong and dive to the right. Moments later, a small bolt of lightning hit the ground where he feet just were. Cursing, Barty looked back and saw Harry Potter and Tracey Davis running at him. _"What!?_ " Barty thought surprisedly. There shouldn't be anyone arriving any time soon. Barty estimated that his reserves would last at least another half-hour more before they were depleted below what he was willing to expend and thus walked forth with ease. It didn't matter now though, as the brat-who-dared and the other half-mud in front of him.

"Where's my granduncle," Davis asked, seemingly trembling with rage. It took Barty a moment to recall who she was referring to. When he did, Barty smirked.

"Since you're about to die anyways, I might as well throw you a bone," he replied arrogantly. "Mad-eye Moody is in the seventh lock of his trunk, where he put other righteous men like myself in when he captured them." The man broke out into laughter at the irony.

"You're deluded," Tracey replied flatly. Barty smirked.

"I might be but you two are dead, so who has it worse?" Barty's wand was already in hand, and he moved it in a shape similar to that of the Greek letter 'sigma'(σ). Tracey's eyes widened dramatically.

"Harry, move!" she yelled as Barty began casting the spell.

" **Scopulus Caprico!"** From the skies, a single large boulder formed and fell straight down due to gravity. Luckily for the both of them, Tracey had anticipated it and they could both get out of the immediate strike zone, only sustaining some injuries to their legs as they were knocked down by the force of impact. Barty grunted irritatedly.

"Spry, aren't you," he grudgingly commended. "No matter, you won't –"

" **Sagitta!"**

A single arrow pierced through the air, stopping at Barty's hastily conjured shield. From a short distance behind the two brats on the floor, Barty could see two more brats, as well as a shocked look on Daphne Greengrass's face, making him smirk.

"If you had more power behind your words, Greengrass, you might have done something," Barty taunted. Inwardly he cursed again as more pests had shown up. He would have to finish this skirmish in two spells or risk not being able to apparate due to lack of energy. His wand pointed at the rock he had conjured.

" **Depulso!"**

The rock shunted off its mounted point and rocketed towards Daphne and Ron. The former still had a surprised expression on her face and didn't move, leaving Ron's clumsily conjured shield to be their only protection as they were struck by the rock. The two sailed short distance away before landing on the soft grass, heavily injured. Barty smirked at his handiwork and began to raise his arm to cast a spell at his fallen foes.

"Now for the final act!" he said theatrically. He began to cackle as he enjoyed the fearful expressions his two conscious foes.

*Flash*

A red streak struck Barty in the chest, causing him to topple over. Harry looked shocked and took a look backwards, unable to see anyone.

"Up there," Tracey breathed. Harry strained his eyes and looked back at the castle. It was completely unresolvable to his eyes but Harry could see a faint speck on the battlements of the Defence against the Dark Arts Tower. "Dumbledore," Tracey said wondrously. Harry too held the same wonder but started to feel droopy. The adrenaline that had kept him going had worn off. A moment later, Harry lay down completely on the soft grass, uninjured but unconscious.

 _Location: Riddle House, Little Hangleton_

An echoing, screeching shriek could be heard this morning coming from what was formerly known as Riddle house. There were very few people out at this time of day but those that were walked as quickly as they could to distance themselves from the 'shrieking shack', as it was commonly dubbed by the gossipers of the Hanged Man bar. Despite the many rumors upon which why the empty house would shriek like such randomly since August last fall, or why the gardener Frank Bryce had mysteriously disappeared not long after the shrieking started, no one truly knew what was going on.

Some claimed to have seen lights flash from the house in the wee hours in the morning and even some would claim that rats and other rodents would scamper out of the old manor, seemingly terrified of … something. Of course, no-one would realize the true implications of the occupation were. No-one even realized that the shrieks were not actual shrieks but sounds disguised as such.

If one were to enter the building, past the stone steps and through the corridor, they would reach what was once known as the drawing room. Unlike every other room in the house, this was the only one that had been occupied at all for over thirty years since the last inhabitants had left the house for unknown reasons. This room also happened to be the exact location wherein the murders took place as the Riddle family were quietly having tea before they were inexplicable slaughtered by an unknown force. Well, unknown to muggles that was. In actuality, the three were killed by the aptly named 'killing curse' which aurors quickly realized but were powerless to stop.

But I digress.

The drawing room could be described as moderately comfortable despite the rest of the house's state of disrepair. Of course, this was partly due to Peter Pettigrew's efforts who had been ordered to clean up the room to make it fit for habituation, an order that the man quickly complied with. And so, if one were to look inside the drawing room now, they would see a rat-faced man scampering around, fixing the wall when the shrieks began.

Peter, or Wormtail as most people called him, quickly scampered to the chair where the sound was coming from. On it sat a grotesque figure similar in size to a baby but far uglier than any other. It was putrid, stinking of an odour that could only be accumulated by lack of proper hygiene. A herbologist may even describe the being as mandrake-like, sans the deadliness though. Oh how wrong they would be.

You see, this 'baby' was no baby at all, but rather the current incarnation of the man once known as 'Lord Voldemort'. He was literally the shadow of his former self completely unable to survive on his own. It had been extremely fortunate for him that Wormtail had found him. Were Wormtail a few months later, Voldemort's spirit may have fallen into some form of a coma.

In this 'form', the spirit could only do the barest of things, possessing a creature of lower intelligence, such as a snake, would be to greatest he could muster. Other than that, all Voldemort could do was brood and plan. Finding Barty Crouch had been essentially a godsend. Who would suspect a man declared deceased to infiltrate Hogwarts? It was the first time three years where Voldemort truly felt that he had a chance of regaining a full body after his failed attempt at securing the Philosopher's Stone.

But now, all he could do was wait.

And wait.

And suddenly, pain. Pain beyond imagination flooded his barely functioning nervous system, causing him to yell out in pain. It was something he had not felt in many years, only topped by immense pain he felt when his body was virtually vaporized when his killing curse rebounded on him from Harry Potter's forehead, though not by much. Voldemort had squirrelly been able to evade all pursuers, though they did not look very far. Over the next few weeks, he found himself wracked with this sort of pain many times, only figuring out its cause much later.

Someone with his mark has been captured.

You see, Voldemort didn't merely brand his followers with a fancy tattoo just to have some sort of identification for them. It didn't merely act as a communications beacon for his followers to come to his side when needed, no, its true purpose was security. Upon capture, the mark would bind and lock all information pertaining to Voldemort's plans and schemes, along with sending a stinging sensation back to Voldemort himself which allowed him to determine which mark had activated. Unfortunately, the mark could not fully erase long-term memories, thus they would retain some minimal amounts of knowledge of his operations.

"Are you alright, My Lord?" asked a scared Wormtail. Voldemort glared at the man, causing him to flinch.

"Barty failed." The chill of his tone caused Wormtail to cower, not answering. The pain began to subside and Voldemort began to think. He hadn't expected the man to fail, especially when he had allowed him to retrieve _that_ item from the Hogwarts nexus. In a flash, Voldemort's current plans had fallen into ashes. A rage-filled scream emanated through the shadowy corridors, projected as a howl out to the rest of Little Hangleton. A few moments later, the grotesque figure of Voldemort took a breath. Wormtail had hidden behind another chair as his lord was raging and peeked out.

Voldemort closed his eyes. Fortunately, the past few months had given him another idea on what to do, a backup of sorts. It was time to take another page out of that book.

"Wormtail!" he called. The cowardly servant scuttled out and bowed. Voldemort glared for a moment before delivering his command. "We will be taking a trip south to meet an old ally. Gather the necessary things for us to bring with us and prepare Nagini. Assume we will not return for some time."

Wormtail knew better than to question his master and simply bowed before beginning his new task. Voldemort sneered at his fleeing servant before his expression turned into one of a smirk. With luck, not only would he return but return far stronger than he anticipated he would.

* * *

 _Spells Used:_

 _Magicae Sileo – Magic-Resumption Charm_

 _Bombarda – Explosion Curse_

 _Reducto – Reductor Curse_

 _Veneno Scorpius – [Unidentified] Toxic Mist Curse_

 _Protego Praesidium Taurus – Celestial Bulwark Charm_

 _Alohomora – Unlocking Charm_

 _Portaberto – Lock Breaking Charm_

 _Open Sesame – Old Lock-Breaking Charm_

 _Rigor Mortis – Muscle-Deadening Curse_

 _Expecto Patronum – Patronus Charm_

 _Cantamem Aparecium – Spell Revealing Charm_

 _Scopulus Caprico – Meteor Charm_

 _Sagitta – Arrow Conjuring (and Firing) Charm_

 _Depulso – Banishing Charm_

 _ **Next: Reverberation**_


	23. Chapter 23 - Reverberation

" _Text"_ – Thoughts

" **Text"** – Spellcast

" _Text"_ – Non-English Words

 _Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, JK Rowling does_

* * *

 _ **Chapter 23 – Reverberation**_

 _Date: Wednesday, March 15_ _th_ _1995_

 _Location: Hog's Head_

In the week that followed Barty Crouch Junior's ousting and subsequent capture, the media had gone on a field day to uncover more details about the situation. Barty Crouch Senior was found dead at his estate the next day, lying in his bed seemingly without a care in the world. As far as the public was concerned, the old man had simply had a stroke from too much work-stress. Given how well known Barty's stubbornness was, as well as, Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge's official response, the people readily accepted the explanations.

Unfortunately, what really happened was far more sinister. While it was apparent that the Ministry official had suffered from heart failure, it was readily apparent during the autopsy that it was not stress but rather the activation of an unfamiliar runic arrangement that had caused the heart to seize. A muggle-born on scene noted that it resembled the concept of a 'dead man's switch'. The autopsy also showed that the old man had been suffering from a particularly strong Imperius for close to a year at this point, which had caused a minor but quickly quelled scandal to erupt in St Mungo's.

Barty Junior's capture was shrouded in even more mystery. As far as most people knew, Albus Dumbledore had successfully stunned the man during his escape after the headmaster himself had used his authority to lock down the school and keep the students safe, though at least two students were mildly injured when the madman attempted to escape. The explanation satisfied many worried parents, though wiser people knew otherwise. Two such individuals were discussing the matter in whispers at the bar of the Hog's Head. Since it was close to midday, there were no other customers present, leaving the area vacant sans our two conversationalists and the barman who was idly able to hear their conversation.

"Just who does Dumbledore think he is? Keeping that information from us! That goes beyond irresponsible and into outright disregard! Who knows what would have happened to them if things had gone awry?" The speaker threw down her mug and glared into the wall, as if she were trying to glare through it and all the way into Hogwarts. The other person chuckled.

"If someone ever told me the Ice Queen Kirsten Marchbanks would ever be so passionate about anything, I would have told them to sod off." The glare from the enraged woman caused the man to back down.

"I honestly have no idea why you are less angry with Dumbledore," questioned Kirsten as she took a drink out of her personal mug of butterbeer. "Your godson almost died there too, Black!" Sirius laughed.

"If Dumbledore didn't give the order I would have been worried. The man might work in mysterious ways but he knows how to get things done." Kirsten deadpanned.

"His plans got your best friend and his wife killed, orphaning your godson and indirectly and illegally sending you to Azkaban." Sirius grinned in response.

"All's well that ends well," he said in a carefree manner. Kirsten raised an eyebrow as he continued. "Plus, the bastard who actually sent me there without a trial is gone so that's my retribution sorted. As a bonus, he's getting his dues for all that he has done!"

"Don't speak ill of the dead, Black, even if they do sometimes deserve it." Sirius sighed and nodded, taking another swig out of his mug of firewhisky. Kirsten frowned at her client's behaviour.

"Please don't get drunk this early in the day," she reprimanded. "I do not intend to spend my afternoon babysitting a man-child when we are supposed to be working on your case." Sirius frowned and put down the mug.

"Spoilsport," he mumbled. Sirius raised his hand to call the bartender, an action that was unnecessary as the man was next to him anyways. "Aberforth! A butterbeer!" The bartender grumbled but still took the mug. Kirsten frowned.

"I've been meaning to ask," she said. Sirius turned to her and she continued "Why do you insist we meet here. I know you live in a cave nearby; wouldn't that be a potentially safer place. Sirus shrugged.

"The bartender knows who I am and doesn't care. Plus, he gives me booze provided I pay it back later." Kirsten sighed and took out a few pieces of parchment from her robes.

"Before you go too far off, I need to update you on what has been happening." Sirius's expression immediately hardened, giving a much more serious air than he had been all morning. Kirsten almost sighed in relief as she began her report.

"I've been able to get in contact with some people in the DMLA. Because this week's unexpected events have launched the Ministry into somewhat a disarray, we were able to legally get a copy of the file on your arrest back in 1981." Kirsten explained. Sirus nodded to get her to continue. "Given that Crouch is dead, our chances of clearing your name are affected slightly, though we will be able to reopen the case given some time." Sirius shrugged.

"I barely understand what you're doing but thanks for your help, I guess," Sirius said nonchalantly. Kirsten deadpanned towards him.

"I sincerely hope this cancels that life debt I owe you," she said thinly, "Hopefully we can conclude our business together quickly and I don't ever have to see your face again." Kirsten put a few documents on the table. "Read through these if you have time, which in your case should be rephrased to read them if you are bothered." With that, Kirsten stood up and walked away and out of the bar. Sirius sighed as he watched her leave.

"Women, eh?" the barman said. Sirius nodded wearily and the barman chuckled. "By the way, her drinks are on your bill as well. Sirius froze and looked at him in shock, causing the barman to chuckle. Sirius groaned and his head drooped in defeat.

* * *

 _Location: Hospital Wing_

Harry and Tracey walked through the medical wing quickly, passing by a few empty beds before reaching their friends. Ron appeared to be asleep, snoring loudly much to Harry's embarrassment. Tracey giggled and looked towards Daphne. The blonde was also asleep, though in a much more dignified manner. A few beds away, the unmoving body Alastor Moody lay, unconscious but very much alive. Harry looked confusedly.

"Where's Snape?" he wondered.

The two professors had been quickly found after Crouch had been discovered thanks to Harry's map and information. Madam Pomfrey's face when she examined Snape was one of horror that Harry had never seen, even when she examined the most brutal Quidditch injuries he had seen or the times he had spent after his encounters with Professor Quirrell and the Basilisk. Her ferocious badgering for them to leave was yet another indication as to how severe his injuries were. Tracey looked glumly at the empty bed which the Slytherin Head had been on over the last few days.

"I heard he is being transferred to St. Mungo's." Harry shuddered. While he had no lost love for the Potions Master, knowing what had happened to his body was enough to make anyone's toes curl. According to Madam Pomfrey (which Harry and Tracey eavesdropped upon using his cloak), the man's entire muscular system had almost entirely collapsed, crushing the majority of his nerves and bones. Pomfrey had described it to being a miracle for him to have survived long enough for medical treatment, though later admitting that she didn't have the equipment to treat him. Harry had thought of Pomfrey being like some sort of medical goddess, able to cure and fix any illness or problems of the human body. Knowing that she too had her limits made Harry feel very mortal. If Crouch had used whatever spell that was on him, Harry knew he would likely be dead right now.

His eyes unconsciously found Daphne, who appeared to be peacefully unaware of what was going on Luckily for the two of them, Ron's hastily casted shield was strong enough to protect them somewhat from getting hit by the rock, though it still caused them many broken bones. Even luckier was the fact that they landed on grass rather than, say, the stone tiles that were only a few meters away from the duel. Even so, the pair were forced so stay in the hospital wing for observation, as well as endure the painful regrowing of some of their bones. Tracey saw where Harry's eyes were and smiled teasingly.

"Checking out your girlfriend I see!" she said, much to Harry's embarrassment. "Well, what do you think? How many points?" Harry grew extremely red from her comments, causing Tracey to laugh out loud for a few moments before she calmed herself.

"Harry," she said with a more serious tone. The reddened Harry looked up, expecting to see a teasing grin instead of the resolute smile on her face.

"Yes?" he answered. Tracey gave him a look and sighed slightly.

"You know; I've known Daphne for many years but this is the first time I've seen her go so against her own self-preservation like a Gryffindor before." Harry looked indignant and Tracey quickly backtracked. "Don't take it the wrong way! I didn't mean that in an insulting manner." Harry calmed down and Tracey laughed.

"I guess I haven't done that either. Merlin! That was exciting but don't expect me to do something like that again any time soon." Harry shrugged.

"Thanks again for your help," Harry said for the sixth time since the incident. Tracey smiled.

"Nah, it's fine. But anyways," Tracey looked at Daphne's peacefully sleeping form and then back at Harry. "It might not have been chance that brought the four of us together but I'd say we've all changed a bit for the better, don't you think?" Harry nodded unsurely, not knowing where the brunette was going with this. Seeing his expression, Tracey's smile widened slightly and she took a breath.

"For what it's worth, take care of her, Harry Potter. I don't mean as your 'girlfriend', but as another friend of yours, even if Daphne doesn't acknowledge it herself. Daphne doesn't have many of those so be proud to be counted among them." Harry raised an eyebrow, causing Tracey to laugh.

"Yeah, she doesn't act like it does she!" The laughter continued for a little before Tracey calmed down and continued. "Look, Daphne might be haughty, arrogant and bossy but she does care about you, even if she doesn't show it." Harry didn't know what to say and just shrugged.

"Yeah I know what you mean. I feel that I get on her nerves far too often but I can feel that she cares, not just pretending to" he said with a faraway look. Tracey frowned slightly as she saw Harry's expression. "It'd be nice if we could get to know each other a bit better, even if it was just to do what Dumbledore asked us to do," he admitted, Tracey nodded vigorously in approval.

"That's what I've been telling her to do! Seriously! For Morgana's sake!" Harry smiled a bit. Tracey had the ability to lighten the mood unconsciously which did help Harry's guilt of letting his best friend and 'girlfriend' get knocked unconscious. Harry felt obligated to say something as a response and just said what came to mind.

"I hope you find a precious person too, I guess." Tracey smiled softly.

At this moment, Ron's snore grew so loud that it appeared to wake him up. Harry and Tracey turned away from looking at Daphne and instead looked at the drowsy redhead.

"Oh hi Harry," he said sleepily. Harry smiled warmly.

"Ron! How're you doing mate?" Ron grinned and wriggled around, wincing as he flexed his arm.

"Could be better, still stings though." Harry smiled good-naturedly.

"Lunch Break is over, get to class now!"

The scream of Madam Pomfrey shattered the aura of peace that had built up. Harry and Tracey noticed the clock on the wall and started.

"I'll see you later Ron! Need to run or Professor Sprout will feed me to a Venomous Tentacula," he joked. Ron grimaced at the bad joke but waved his friend off anyways. Harry whispered a farewell to Daphne and left. Tracey stood still for a moment.

" _I really hope you will explain what I meant back then to him soon,"_ she thought, looking at her best friend's sleeping form. She sighed and said a quick goodbye to both Ron and Tracey before speeding away to class as fast as lightning. Ron remained alone awake in the hospital wing when he heard a sound from the other bed.

"Are they gone?" Daphne asked wearily. Ron shrugged and looked out of the ward. Seeing no-one, he nodded in response. Daphne sighed deeply and sat up. Though there was not much light illuminating the room, the redness of the blonde's cheeks clearly contrasted on her pale skin.

"Merlin! That Tracey just does not know how to shut up!" Daphne complained. Ron looked confusedly at the embarrassed Greengrass heiress who did not provide any more explanations.

"What?" he asked gormlessly. Daphne glared at him.

"Nothing. Go back to sleep." Ron grumbled about bossy Slytherins but decided that he couldn't do anything else in his condition. A few minutes later, the ward was filled with the sound of snoring. Amidst the sound, a still red Daphne was deep at thought.

* * *

 _Date: Monday, April 10_ _th_ _1995_

 _Location: Great Hall_

Over the next few weeks, Daphne and Ron were released after Madam Pomfrey was certain that they were ready for classes. By this time Ron had gotten so restless that it had taken both Harry and Tracey's efforts to stop him from deciding to run around the castle for the thrill of it. Moody too had finished getting treated by the Madam Pomfrey and had quickly been re-established as the D.A.D.A teacher, relieving Dumbledore from his substituting duties.

Though not as big a hit as Barty's own introduction was at the beginning of the school year, Moody had quickly established himself as equally, if not more impressive and capable as a teacher when compared with his predecessor. It hadn't taken long for the school to quickly accept the old auror as a professor, much to his own irritation.

"Since when did brats like you get so masochistic?" he asked Tracey one day after class. The girl smirked without answering verbally, prompting Moody to go on a tirade about "constant vigilance" and "being prepared" as he usually did. Apparently, Tracey's laughter after this had aggravated him, causing him to shoot (harmless) jinxes at her as he chased her down the hallway.

"You're insane," Ron commented with a level of wonder when Tracey recounted the story to him and Harry. Daphne had nodded in agreement gently but not commented further, prompting a frown from Harry. For some reason unfathomable to him, the usually sharp-tongued blonde had been remarkably passive and confrontational, even when Harry had messed up a spell and accidentally blasted a hole into the floor of the Chamber of Secrets during one of their practise sessions. The drastic change worried him and was the matter on his mind this morning as he ate his breakfast.

Harry ignored the chattering of sound random second year girls who were holding an article from W _itch Weekly_ , even if it were becoming much more irritating than normal. That time when Dean had pointed out a week ago had been a moment of realization for Harry and now what had been an easily ignorable inconvenience quickly become an insufferable torment. He was about to snap at them for being so noisy when he actually heard what was being said.

"… can't believe it though!" squealed girl 1. What sounded like a chorus of squeals to Harry came right after the first, as though it were some sort of band in training.

"I know right! Who would have thought that the _bookworm,_ Granger, was such a seductress!" girl two said. Another chorus of sound came, this time Harry had no idea how to properly describe it. His eyes narrowed at the mention of Hermione's name. Resolving to find out more, Harry got up and walked a few paces to get to the group of girls.

"Pardon me," he said formally, trying to use his lessons in courtesy that he had learned from Daphne. The girls seemed to jump back as though having been burned and looked up at him. A moment later, the irritation in their eyes turned to wonder.

"Harry Potter…" girl two breathed dreamily. Harry offered a quick bow, which seemed to cause yet another indescribable sound to come from the group of girls.

"Yes, that is me," he said before quickly continuing to prevent the conversation from digressing. "Can I please ask as to what you were talking about just now?" Harry's attempt at formal speech did not seem to make much of an effect as the group of girls quickly hustled together and traded furious whispers with each other, or at least that is what Harry could see. A few moments later, the group discussion disbanded and girl 1 simply held her copy of the magazine out to Harry.

"It would be easier just to show you," she explained quickly. "Sorry if it's a bit crumpled, the magazine is a few days old by now." Harry frowned but took the magazine and read the quickly, his mood souring as he read on.

 _THE HOGWARTS LAVERNE DE MONTMORENCY_

 _By Rita Skeeter_

 _Hogwarts is a place in all of our hearts, where our dreams and aspirations were first created and bear fruit. Many of us may have wished to catch the eye of one of the many celebrities that populate the campus but few would swoop so deep and be as underhanded as one Hermione Granger._

 _Miss Granger, a plain but ambitious girl, seems to have a taste for famous wizards that Since the arrival at Hogwarts of Viktor Krum, Bulgarian Seeker and hero of the last Quidditch World Cup, Miss Granger has been hard at work seducing the poor man. As it stands, Krum is openly smitten with the devious Miss Granger and has already invited her to stay with him in Bulgaria over the summer holidays and insists that he has "never felt this way about any other girl," a stark contrast from the indifference he had shown her during the Yule Ball when he brought an unnamed girl to said event._

 _What is more, this reporter has found out that Miss Granger has been seen hanging around our savior, Harry Potter, for the past few years. Witnesses have said that they have seen Harry and Miss Granger's unnamed redheaded dance partner have been following her "like puppies," as one says._

 _However, it may not be Miss Granger's doubtful natural charms that have captured these unfortunate young boys' interests._

" _She's really ugly," says Pansy Parkinson, a pretty and vivacious fourth year student, "but she'd be well-up to making a Love Potion, she's quite brainy. I think that's how she's doing it."_

 _Love Potions are, of course, banned at Hogwarts, and no doubt Albus Dumbledore will want to investigate these claims. In the meantime, Viktor Krum's well-wishers must hope that he bestows his heart on a worthier candidate next time._

Across the hall, Tracey groaned as she listened to Pansy's gloating once more. She had been boasting to anyone within earshot about how she had "gotten one over" the bookworm of Gryffindor. How she thought that was an achievement was beyond Tracey but the brunette knew that Pansy would not shut up unless Draco told her to and thus simply did her best to ignore it. Oh how she wished she had a spell to nullify surrounding noise!

Instead, Tracey looked sideways at Daphne, who was quietly eating, seemingly unaware of what was going on. Astoria, who was on Daphne's other side, prodded her sister but the elder girl simply gave a look in her direction before returning to her meal. Astoria sent a worried look towards Tracey, who reciprocated it.

"Uhm, excuse me," came a nervous voice from behind them. The three girls looked back and saw an unfamiliar first year Gryffindor boy standing there, shuffling around nervously. "Are you Miss Daphne Greengrass?" he said quietly.

Daphne arched an eyebrow and nodded. The boy looked relieved. "Oh thank god!" he said. "My name is Dennis Creevey and …" Tracey put her hand up.

"Alright, first of all," she began with a mischievous smile, "Isn't Denise a girl's name?" Dennis blushed scarlet as Tracey looked towards Daphne and Astoria, the latter of which face-faulted at the pun. Daphne simply raised an eyebrow and went back to eating, causing Tracey to frown. She turned back to the red Gryffindor.

"All jokes aside, what does a lion have to do with a couple of snakes like us?" she said thinly. To her surprise, Dennis looked confused at her statement.

"Isn't Miss Greengrass Harry Potter's girlfriend?" he asked curiously. "If he thinks you're that great, you can't be bad right?" The simple innocence of the statement was too much for Astoria, who quickly excused herself to prevent from spoiling the mood. Daphne and Tracey had no outward reaction, though they were laughing internally.

"You look familiar," Daphne finally said, a small smile on her face. Dennis looked confused again before quickly jumping up in realization.

"Oh, you must mean my brother! I think you met him in September when he came up to ask you if you were with Harry Potter." After saying this, Dennis seemed to remember something. Standing up valiantly despite shaking slightly, he said "Please don't yell at me."

Daphne raised an eyebrow and quickly tried to recall who this person's brother was for a few moments. "Oh, I remember him," she said before lowering her volume. "Nosy brat." Dennis seemed to light up before remembering something else.

"Oh, I almost forgot! Professor Dumbledore asked to see you and Harry Potter in his office after breakfast!" Tracey clapped the absentminded boy on his back.

"You should have told us sooner!" She turned to Daphne. "C'mon Daph!" Both Dennis and Daphne looked strangely at Tracey's excessive cheeriness for a moment.

"Well, I better get going," Dennis said awkwardly as he shuffled away. Tracey looked at Daphne.

"Seriously? Nothing?" Daphne paused for a moment before shrugging uncharacteristically. Tracey raised an eyebrow but did not comment further.

* * *

 _Location: Headmaster's Office_

Albus was rapidly pacing in his office, a not too uncommon occurrence these days. The past month had been a virtual nightmare for the Headmaster/Chief Warlock/Supreme Mugwump, though his troubles only affected the former two positions. Both Barty Crouches' deaths had massive impacts on the ministry and general magical populace of Britain, shedding light on the folly that had allowed the young psychopath to escape the prison as well as the death of one of the most infamous warhawks in modern day. The senior man's death also left the Wizengamot with one of its most important seat unfilled as his demise meant the total extinction of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Crouch, a house that had been alive since the ages of the Peverells.

A lot of the responsibility had fallen on Albus's hands, courtesy of Cornelius's unwillingness to take responsibility that not one but two people had escaped the supposedly inescapable Azkaban during his years in office. Somehow, the portly man had been able to convince the public that his (Albus's) inability to detect one of the most well-accomplished infiltrators in modern times was a greater mistake than Cornelius's own folly in allowing Barty Junior's escape in the first place!

Albus sat down and ran his hand through his long beard, a habit he had found himself invoking far too often as he dealt with droves of worried parents, scheming councilmembers and angry civilians on a daily basis. It was a small miracle that no international magical incidents had occurred within the month that he had to address as Supreme Mugwump of the IWC!

Today was the first day in many that he could catch a break and stay inside Hogwarts for the full day… unless he gets called to another meeting back in London, or Glasgow or… Albus sighed, genuinely frustrated by the number of tasks he had on his plate. Upcoming was by far the simplest, though could possibly be the most important: keeping Harry Potter and Daphne Greengrass up to date on current matters.

Of course, the old headmaster had put in a few subtle wards within Moaning Myrtle's bathroom (for security purposes), allowing him to know if someone other than Argus was inside. Naturally, this meant that he had learnt that Harry and his friends had been frequenting the Chamber, a smart decision in Albus' eyes though a possibly troubling one.

After all, who knows what was down in the chamber? The lack of knowledge on the matter made Albus frown.

He quickly glanced at the open door to the stairwell that led up to his office, peering at the newly remade doorway that lead to the gargoyle corridor. Albus unconsciously shuddered. The ordeal over a month ago had been nothing short of a nightmare for Albus, having lost all control of the situation, only able to notice it when almost half of his wards blew up mid-rotation. Being trapped inside his office was one of the most harrowing times he had felt in modern times, with no eyes nor ears to tell him what was happening. If Argus hadn't shown up… Albus dreaded to think of the consequences.

The wizen wizard shook his head decisively. Never again would he allow the young to fall because of his own inability. Despite the relatively positive outcome of the recapturing of Barty Crouch Junior, it had weighed upon him that he was unable to keep anyone getting hurt. Severus's injuries had apparently been so severe that he had to be flooed all the way to Tibet to receive healing from the mystic shamans there, though that little fact was of course well-kept from the public eye, saying that the Professor was being treated at a private ward of St. Mungo's. Miss Greengrass and Mr Weasley's injuries were far less severe, though much more well known. Thankfully, neither Cyril nor Arthur had decided to take legal action against the school for their own various reasons and the matter was more or less dropped.

The doorway swung open, revealing a slightly wondrous Harry and morose Daphne walking into the office. It didn't take long for the pair to travel up the staircase, which Albus had reached out to his old friend Elphias Doge to help remake. Though it was almost identical to its original incarnation, the old enchanter-turned-advisor had also decided to forge purple Gubraithian braziers to light up the stairwell, a nice touch in Albus's own eyes. Elphias always had an eye for suitable, yet innovative design.

"Professor," the two chorused as they approached the table at which Albus sat in. The old man smiled genially as the girl curtseyed with practiced ease as the boy bowed with far more grace than he had shown throughout the years, though far less than his 'paramour'.

"Good to see you, Harry, Daphne," he said casually.

The girl flinched at being addressed so casually but quickly appeared to disregard it. Albus's eyes narrowed a fraction. What happened to the icy girl he had met four months ago? He filed the thought away. "Lemon Drop?" he asked. As expected, both accepted the offer, though unlike last time, Harry appeared to take the lead in accepting the offer.

"How are you this fine day," Albus asked, masking his weariness with a façade. "Doing well I suppose?" Harry shrugged and Daphne nodded, not too unexpected for their personalities.

"Nothing much has happened since we took down Crouch," Harry explained rather uninsightfully. Judging by the Greengrass heiress's look, she too knew just how big of a political impact the event had on wizarding society. Albus stopped himself from frowning at the unworldliness that Harry displayed and hoped that the Greengrass girl would continue to teach him. If Harry were to perform the role that Albus wanted, it wouldn't do for him to be thought of as an uncouth fool, unknowing of how simple decisions could have massive effects. Were he to be a martyr, this would not be necessary.

"That is good to hear," Albus replied gently. He turned to Daphne. "And you, my dear?" If the girl was surprised at being addressed as such, she was able to mask it quickly.

"Nothing of importance happened to us, though my grandfather has told me otherwise," Albus smiled outwardly. As an active member of the Wizengamot, Robert Greengrass (Daphne's grandfather) was privy to many of the goings-on that occurred within the Ministry. Unlike many other old purebloods, Robert had abdicated his position of 'Lord' to his son, thus sharing the duties between the two. Because of this, Lord and Lady Greengrass were given much more free time and have been able to use their copious resources to help the wizarding world. Unfortunately, Albus did not have that luxury.

"Robert _is_ a very observant man," he said respectfully. Albus remembered teaching the man back in his days of teaching transfiguration, always wry and ready to adapt to the situation, in schoolwork, on the schoolground or later in politics. Many accused him of being indecisive or outright negligent on many occasions before the Modern British Wizarding War, most notably by Abraxas Malfoy and Albus himself when he refused to side with either side despite the overwhelming pressure from both. However, what many mistook as hesitance was found to be careful planning, leaving the Greengrasses in a far better position than the majority of other pureblooded houses on both sides of the war due to their neutrality. From this, Albus had a healthy, albeit grudging, respect for his old student.

"Thank you, sir," Daphne said, happy that her grandfather's brilliance had been acknowledged. Albus twinkled his eye.

"How are your classes with Alastor and Poppy?" he asked. Poppy, or Madam Pomfrey, had been substituting for Professor Snape's classes as much as possible, though her medical duties had left a few classes without a teacher. Harry shrugged and Daphne appeared to have no apparent reaction.

"Madam Pomfrey is a little more descriptive than Professor Snape was when he taught us," Harry admitted. Albus held back a laugh at Harry's expense. Severus's teaching methods had been criticized by many a student and even a few teachers who had popped in and frowned upon what was written on the blackboard. Albus however, had no problems with the man's 'hands-off' style of teaching, citing that many potioning breakthroughs had occurred during trial and error. Though it would cause some problems with younger students, the problems they faced if brewed improperly were minor at worst, thus there being little to no problem for the students to learn (the hard way) how to brew potions properly.

"And your classes with Professor Moody?"

Daphne answered this one quickly.

"While his teaching methods are equally questionable as the late Mr. Crouch's methods, they are nonetheless equally if not more effective in making us understand the course material." Albus smiled. Alastor had reported something somewhat similar (though from Alastor's own perspective of course) when Albus had asked him a week ago. It seemed that Barty Crouch Junior had been a far more effective teacher than he had realized or expected, though there were a few minor wrong details in his teachings (though not enough to be detrimental). Albus coughed once.

"Anyways, the two of you are probably wondering why I have called you to my office this morning," he said. Both teens nodded and Albus continued. "The primary reason is to make an update on your relationship," he said, casting a quick glance at the two in front of him. He kept himself from frowning as he easily noticed the distance the two had displayed. Clearly, their relationship had not progressed as quickly as he had wished, though only about as much as he had expected. Harry blushed, irritating that he hadn't gotten over it yet and Daphne frowned as expected.

Neither teen spoke up after a few moments. Albus noticed a mounting pressure between the two, both trying to (mentally?) persuade each other to speak up. The scene was actually quite nostalgic for Albus, who once again recalled a slightly similar pair in his office attempting to do so not too long ago…

"We spent a few days together," Harry finally relented, "Just the two of us," he added. Albus resisted the urge to raise his eyebrow and instead smiled encouragingly.

Albus had observed the pair's activities in both Hogsmeade and in the castle. While they were performing rather admirably for their age, it was easy for anyone who looked deeply to see that they were still far apart emotionally. This posed a slight problem for Albus, who once again found himself unable to do anything. Any direct action he could take, including using potions or coercion spells, would violate at least a few laws on line-theft, leaving him with only the option of waiting. Albus didn't mind too much. He had lived over a century; a few months was not a problem for him.

Daphne frowned at him and tried to look deep into Albus. The old man had to old back a smirk. Despite her brooding, the girl had not lost any of her astuteness and had figured out that Albus had another motive for this conversation. She glanced at Harry and frowned before staring back at Albus intently. The old wizard had to hold back a sigh. So Daphne still wouldn't trust her, though given her parent's and grandparent's views, that was not unexpected. Harry did not seem to notice this exchange and stared obliviously forward.

The room appeared to be silent for a few moments, excluding the sound of Albus's whirring machines, as Daphne stared at Albus, keen on trying to figure out what his motive was. Harry continued to look nervously at Albus, wondering if he had said something wrong. Albus simply gazed forward, looking benevolently at the two teens in front of him. After a while, Daphne's eyes widened a fraction and she pouted. Albus turned to her.

"Is there something you want to say, my dear?" The girl frowned at being addressed as such but ignored it. She seemed to mimic a muted sigh before she spoke.

"Unrelated to the topic we had been _discussing_ ," she began with thinly veiled sarcasm, "But I was wondering what the consequences of our capturing of Barty Crouch Junior were." Daphne spoke in a neutral tone but her glare betrayed what Albus expected. The girl knew his real reason but was unable to figure out his motive and thus sprung the trap. What an interesting young girl. Harry's emotions were written on his face, he clearly wished to know as well.

"Unfortunately, I am unable to divulge as much information as I would like," Albus answered in a regretful tone. Harry visibly wilted, much to Daphne's apparent irritation. Albus hid his frown and continued. "I will however answer to the best of my ability." Harry raised his hand.

"This isn't a classroom, Harry, you are free to speak as you would." Harry nodded.

"What happened to Crouch after we nabbed him?" he asked.

"We put him under questioning and he was thrown through the veil." Harry still looked confused but Daphne looked surprised.

"He was considered that dangerous?" she asked with awe. Albus exuded his grandfatherly aura and nodded. Harry looked confused, not that Albus nor Daphne expected him to know what they were talking about. Considered a myth by the great majority of magical Britain, few knew of the existence of the veil outside of the higher echelons of the Ministry and Wizengamot. Long since retired as the default punishment for the most severe crimes, the veil's true nature was still shrouded in mystery.

All Daphne knew was that the most dangerous of people, people who could potentially escape or thrive in Azkaban, were thrown through it as they would have been before the early 18th Century. Glancing back to see Daphne's horror-struck expression, Harry wisely chose not to comment.

"Did you find out anything from him?" Harry asked, trying to keep the conversation going. Albus thought for a moment.

"Most of what he said was gibberish, he had clearly gone insane after the ordeal. As you know, he had overcome his father's Imperius curse some time ago and had gone partly insane. I suspect that his capture rendered his mind completely lost." Harry and Daphne nodded in response. Albus twinkled his eye.

He had, of course, omitted that before Barty had completely been lost to madness, he had muttered a few words on a place called "Little Hangleton" and the name of a strange, Ancient-Greek potion that no-one in the ministry knew the name of. A squad of seasoned aurors were dispatched to the muggle village but found particularly interesting apart from a cursed ring left by a dark family which had gone extinct over fifty years ago.

Though Cornelius was pacified, Albus knew that the implications were far more severe. If this was a plot by Voldemort (and Albus suspected such,) to regain his body, this would most certainly not be his last attempt. What, however, was more worrying was how the bodiless form of Voldemort was even able to function so long after he had been disembodied, a thought that had plagued Albus for days. Daphne coughed and spoke.

"Is there anything you can tell us about what is going to be done with the Crouch family real estate?" Albus smiled, slightly genuinely this time though not for the reasons one might think. He quickly recognized the sly question that the girl had posted and quickly recalled a handful of meetings he had with several elder members of the Wizengamot where they had attempted to persuade him to 'see their ways'. If anything, Albus was slightly impressed with the young girl's perceptiveness, given that his assumption that Daphne was kept in the dark about these matters was correct.

Many magical houses owned muggle lands, either from the times when they were established or simply by subtly manipulating muggle economics and reaping the benefits off said land. Naturally, an old family such as the (magical) Crouches held many lands and their extinction meant (on the magical side of things) that it was all for the taking. It had become a very large headache for Albus, even more so than the sudden deaths of Lord Archibald and his fiancée which had caused a similar power struggle last year...

The whole process was highly complicated and Albus had never bothered to go into detail on economic matters (he usually consulted his friend Aleister when needed,) simply because he had other important things to do. That didn't stop it from being one of the most annoying things on his list of jobs to complete.

"Unfortunately, due to the matters' sensitivity, I cannot divulge any information on it," Albus said truthfully. Daphne tilted her head slightly in acceptance, obviously not expecting anything from the question. Harry seemed to have some idea of what was going on, odd, as he nodded with a neutral expression replacing his confused look. Hmm… Albus had to look into that.

"Any other questions?" he asked after a few moments on silence. Daphne shook her head gently and Harry did so as well with more vigor. Albus frowned. He had hoped to share more but would be unable to do so without arousing further suspicion. Hiding his irritancy, he continued. "Well, if there is nothing else, good luck on the third task, Harry, and that will be all."

Daphne and Harry got up quickly, the girl quickly shooting her 'paramour' a look to which he nodded to. The pair excused themselves by curtseying and bowing respectively before doing so again verbally. Albus watched the two leave with a smile on his face, the purple fires guiding them out.

* * *

 _Location: Gargoyle Corridor_

"Dumbledore is plotting something." Harry did his best to stifle a groan as Daphne stomped out onto the mostly vacant corridor, much unlike how she had been acting beforehand.

"You keep saying that but I just don't see it," Harry responded. This earned him a look from Daphne.

"You think that he just so 'happened' to check up on us now? Dumbledore has been busy with his Headmaster _and_ Chief Warlock duties. Why would he randomly spare time to talk to two school-children when he has so many other important matters to take care of?" Harry looked surprised and began to think. Daphne sighed and massaged her temples.

Although she did not have all the details, she knew that the Wizengamot was still not full, with a few of its seats left vacant because their only claimants were either not of age, imprisoned or otherwise unable to sit on the council. Harry, as the last Potter was entitled to one of those seats (and Daphne always knew that either she or Astoria would likely be on House Greengrass's own seat one day). If Dumbledore was trying to…

A ruthless grunt came from the usually composed Daphne, much to Harry's surprise.

"Are you alright?" he asked worriedly. Daphne sighed in frustration.

"Look, Potter, I don't expect you to understand everything that goes around you but I do hope you can display that uncanny observance you sometimes show." Harry raised an eyebrow at the roundabout compliment he received as the girl continued. "Since I will away from school during Easter, I hope you will be ready for whatever that comes next when I get back, whether it's Dumbledore's schemes or the tournament." Harry nodded for a moment before the thought hit him.

"Wait… where are you going?"

Daphne didn't answer and carried on moving forward, almost crashing into a person who appeared to be fleeing from the Great Hall, her arms covered in painful looking sores. The girl dashed away and Harry realized it was Hermione.

* * *

 _Date: Unknown_

 _Location: Tartarus_

There are many locations in the world that have been shielded directly from human eye, many of which have existed long before man had begun to learn and use magic itself. Whether a mountain populated by toads in southern Japan, an island in the Caribbean shrouded in a harrowing black mist, or even the city of Atlantis. That is not to say that humans have never been to these places, rather that they generally cannot access them directly or sometimes even sometimes must be brought there by a 'higher' power. Naturally, these places have given birth innumerable myths and legends that muggles and wizards alike perpetuated, some even becoming equally grand as their true origins.

An extremely large flash of lightning lit up the darkness as a footstep could be heard. This a 'place' known by many names. The Void. Nether. The Place under All. Its true name had been long forgotten by even its own denizens over the eons it had existed, instead simply referring to it Tartarus.

Lightning burst from the ground that the footstep had come from, once again illuminating the pitch black surroundings. Gradually, the electricity encircled the being who emitted it and the furious energy began to calm, wrapping itself around its creator like a second skin. Taking note of the surroundings, the being known as the Thunderer began his descent.

Snakes of all sizes hissed as they felt the burning light, fleeing quickly as the orange-colored being moved down towards the depth of the pit. It is difficult to describe the place for absolutely no light permeates down from the surface. Its entrance is completely blocked off to almost all forms of mortal. Even many non-mortal creatures find themselves unable to pass the barriers of the realm known as "hell" and enter this area. Only two mortals have ever been known to have set foot here and neither of them were ever the same again.

Thunderer continued his descent in silence, well aware that a moment's distraction would cause the many thousand serpents around him to pounce. If he had teeth in this form, he would have clicked them in frustration. Oh how he hated being down here.

The being made his way down further and further, gradually feeling that the number of snakes around him began to lessen considerably. Though it was dark, the electromagus was able to feel the bioelectricity that was generated by the various serpents. He knew exactly was up ahead.

A 'clearing' began to open up, a wide gorge that seemed to reach from the 'top' to the 'bottom' of the realm, whatever those definitions of 'top' and 'bottom' would be in this case. A set of golden chains came from all directions, all wrapping around a single massive being in the middle of the gorge. Thunderer paused in his footsteps. The rank smell that permeated throughout the place reached an apex here. This was the lowest point which non-divine beings were able to tread, below which were primordial horrors not even conceivable by mortal minds.

Bound in place by the golden chains was an enormous reptile. Although unseen in the darkness, the beast was almost completely covered with black scales with cyan markings on its mouth which extended in an intricate, spiralling pattern across the rest of its body. On its shoulders were the heads of hundreds of snakes, all of which glared at their surprising visitor. Unseeing white eyes stared at the orange being in front of it. Not a sound was made by either party for a few moments passed as lightning incarnate locked eyes with the dragon once known as the deadliest in the known world – Typhon, Devourer of Fate.

"This, is a surprise," the immense beast said after a while. Though the tongue was Ancient Greek, the thunderer had no problems with understanding what was being said to him.

"Duke Typhon," the thunderer addressed formally. It was not known how one of the most terrifying beasts in history had attained the title of 'duke', nor did anyone really care. For all anyone knew, the title was something he made for himself.

"Lightning brat!" the old beast replied. The many snake heads on his shoulders began emitting a vicious cacophony. Some even began spitting fires of all kinds at the orange being, though no actual damage was done. Instead, Thunderer walked forth and began inspecting the chains.

"It has been millennia since I had company! Or more, I cannot really tell." The grating voice of the ancient beast tore through the area like a knife. Thunderer was unamused.

"I never knew that the greatest beast of all time was so talkative," he said idly. A grunt.

"When you have been imprisoned for as long as I have, you will understand," Typhon said before upturning the corner of his lips, "Oh wait."

The thunderer glared at the dragon who had what resembled a smirk on its face. Deciding to ignore the mocking, Thunderer continued his task by levitating himself across the abyss. Another frenzy erupted between the snake heads, angered that their master was being ignored. Irritated, Typhon quelled his 'servants' before the thunderer could speak a word. A few moments later, the orange being spoke.

"If you must know, the last time any being was supposed to be down here was over ten centuries ago, not long after the fall of _that_ tyrant. If I recall correctly, I was there with Wu and the vampire." The lightning briefly grew stronger, randomly arcing off the thunderer's body and onto surrounding rock, his fury matched by Typhon's.

"One thousand years…" mused the great beast. It moved its head down slightly unconsciously. Instantly, the chains glowed as a massive energy surge channelled through the chains, binding the draconic being even tighter than it had before. To his credit, Typhon didn't make a sound. Thunderer watched with interest.

"The Golden Chains of Enkidu," he mused. The dragon glared upwards at the many chains that bound him.

"Lent to Zeus by Anu upon the former's request," grumbled Typhon expositionally.

"To bind his greatest foe, the being who once thought to challenge the gods over their rule over the earth," the thunderer finished, seemingly smirking at the gnarling dragon.

"Begone! You have already completed your task," it roared furiously. The snake heads reanimated themselves and began 'chanting' in agreement. Thunderer said nothing and instead bowed.

"Until never, Duke Typhon." A few moments later, the orange glow from the thunderer's body faded away, plunging the abyss back into darkness. Typhon snickered in amusement before it put its mind into thought. No being would be foolish enough to enter Tartarus on a whim, not even the gods would dare to do so lightly. That meant that someone or something was directing the brat and Typhon could only think of very few beings with that kind of jurisdiction or power.

The great beast grunted. Fate had changed its course, like how it had all those centuries ago when his destined victory over the gods had turned to nothing at the whim of fate. A fiendish fire spewed forth from his giant maw, causing the golden chains to once again glow and bind him even tighter. However, Typhon's anger was momentarily vented and he withstood the extra 'punishment' he had reaped and so it didn't move. One last thought was on its mind.

If there were no recorded entries into Tartarus in about a millennium…

Who was it that spoke to Typhon nine hundred years ago?

* * *

 _ **Next Time – Something Found**_


	24. Chapter 24 - Something Found

" _Text"_ – Thoughts

" **Text"** – Spellcast

" _Text"_ – Non-English Words

 _Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, JK Rowling does_

* * *

 _ **Chapter 24 – Something Found**_

 _Date: Saturday, April 15_ _th_ _1995_

 _Location: Hogwarts Express_

"Daphne, get up, we're here."

Daphne pretended to arouse drowsily and yawn, much to the disapproval of her sister Astoria, who easily noticed that her sister was faking it. It had been a long and mundane trip on the Hogwarts Express, as it always has been in peaceful times. Don't get her wrong, Daphne was glad that the horrors of the 'Afternoon Tea-Time' incident had never repeated but it was still quite a bore to sit on a train for so long.

It didn't help that despite the fact that there were many people who left Hogwarts during the one-week Easter break, all of the ones who tried to talk to Daphne were boring brown-nosers. Since Tracey was not present, it left Daphne only with Astoria to provide her company for the thankfully completed trip. Without any hassle, sisters got their belongings and were able to get off the train in a few short minutes.

"Daphne! Astoria!"

The girls looked up to see the familiar faces of their parents looking back at them. Genevieve Greengrass watched happily as her youngest dropped her belongings and ran over to give her mother a hug. Daphne sighed and collected the dropped bags and walked over to the group, sharing a curt nod with her father.

"Father."

"Daphne."

Eve looked despairingly at the interaction between her daughter and husband. She turned to Astoria, who tilted her head gently as a response. The young girl didn't know what to think, given her sister's extreme shifts in general mood. It had been troubling her for a while, especially since the Daphne had begun 'brooding' not long after she had gotten out of the hospital ward after the Crouch incident. Without another word, the family of four quickly apparated back home.

The white and green entrance hall of Greengrass Manor quickly came into view and the family of four landed with practised ease, though Astoria wobbled slightly from the dizziness that accompanied such travel. Her father quickly bid the family goodbye and walked off in the direction of his study, clearly with something else important to do as he usually would have to. Astoria didn't even frown at the coldness her father displayed for she was used to it and understood why he acted like such.

As per usual, her mother frowned at the retreating man and Daphne…? Astoria was surprised at the angered look her sister threw at their father. That was odd. Daphne hadn't been that mad when she had been given the 'task' all those months ago. It warranted extra investigation … later, after Astoria had taken a well-deserved shower and gotten something to eat. As varied as the Hogwarts Express food supply seemed to most people, Astoria simply disliked eating so many sweets and preferred to eat little if any.

"… to your rooms, Daphne, Astoria. Tizzy will tell you when dinner is served," Eve Greengrass finished. A soft sound was heard and the master enchantress had apparated away, leaving her two daughters alone in the entrance hall.

"Well, I have business to attend to. Until later, Astoria," Daphne said neutrally as she turned at walked away, glancing back at her sister before she turned a corner. The youngest Greengrass kept a neutral expression as she watched her sister walk away. When the blonde was out of sight, Astoria began to frown. Daphne had been acting strange, ever since she had been given that laughably fake 'relationship' between her and Potter had begun, actually… no, a bit before that.

Astoria could logically deduct a few of the possible reasons why her previously sarcastic yet playful sister was acting like this but still did not like the implications. Also, what was with that sad look Daphne had given her? This wasn't the first time it had happened.

* * *

 _Location: Hogwarts Classroom 1D_

Harry and Ron were sitting around idly in the old classroom; waiting for certain brown-haired girl. It had already been over an hour past the time they had agreed to meet and there had been no sign of Tracey.

"You sure she told us to meet here?" Harry asked Ron again. The redhead nodded affirmatively. The brunette Slytherin had cornered Ron after lunch and told him to meet her in their old meeting place, a statement which caused a number of stares and wolf whistles in their direction, leaving an embarrassed Ron having to clarify what she meant.

"Wonder why she wants the map?" Harry questioned out loud. He had been quite surprised when Tracey had dashed into the library when they were doing their Herbology Essay, passing them a small note before going back out. As strange as her actions seemed to the pair of boys, they remained interested at what she was planning. The door swung open with a loud sound and Tracey bounded in, carrying a few pieces of parchment in her hands. A wide grin adorned her face.

"Hey guys!" she said brightly. Seeing the lack of positive response to her arrival, Tracey's smile turned to a frown. "What's wrong?" Both boys deadpanned.

"You're an hour late," Harry replied flatly. Tracey shrugged.

"I had to pick up these," she replied, gesturing to the pile of papers she held. Harry arched an eyebrow, gesturing for the girl to elaborate. "It's for what we are going to be doing this week." Another raised eyebrow.

"We are going to finish the Marauder's map!" she declared.

A wave of silence greeted her. Tracey sighed.

"Open the map, Harry," she said. The boy shrugged and opened it, incanting the words which activated the map's properties. The three couldn't help but watch with some awe as the map began to unfold on the floor. As it was on a large surface, the map was able to take on its full size, covering a large amount of the spare space in the room. As it expanded, Harry was able to see every single corner of the school, from the Whomping Willow near the Training Grounds to the Edge of the Black Lake. As per usual, there were countless dots with names labelling them moving around on the map. It took a few moments before Harry was able to locate the three of them huddled together in the room labelled 'Classroom 1D'.

"Look here," Tracey said. Ron and Harry looked at where Tracey was pointing at – the gargoyle corridor but more specifically, a specific wall on that corridor.

"I don't see anything," admitted Ron. Tracey nodded.

"Exactly." The boys looked confused so Tracey elaborated. "Remember a month back when fought Barty Crouch?" They nodded and the realization soon dawned on them. Harry looked at the map in shock.

"So… you're telling me…" he began

"That the map is incomplete. Yes." Tracey finished. Ron and Harry looked astounded. They had always assumed that the map showed every single facet of the school simply because they did not have anything else that would indicate otherwise.

"Ah, here too, look!" Tracey said excitedly, pointing at a bathroom on the second floor corridor. Ron and Harry knew this one very well. It was Moaning Myrtle's bathroom, fully shown with an annotation reading 'Beware of Myrtle' written on it. However, there was no secret passage that lead down to the Chamber of Secrets.

"It's not that surprising," Tracey commented as she examined her friends' shocked looks, "The marauders may have found or rather refound many of the school's secrets but that doesn't mean that they were able to figure out every single one of them." Harry and Ron nodded and Tracey continued.

"For instance, many 'wealthier' Slytherins bought a set of these notes from our upperclassmen, which details a few secret passageways that are known. Most of them are probably on the map but… ah, here we go." Tracey pointed at the fourth-floor corridor. "There is a portrait of an ex-headmaster of Hogwarts called Vindictus Viridian. Across from him is a passageway that takes us down to the second floor landing of the D.A.D.A Tower. It's quite useful for getting around between periods when there is a lot of traffic." Ron and Harry nodded, filing in that information for later. Harry also recalled where Snape was during the school's lockdown. He had gone back and checked the map later but found no secret passage. Apparently, his father and his friends never found that one

"So why now?" Harry asked. Tracey smirked.

"With classes suspended, our visitors temporarily returning home and a good majority of the school away from school, this is probably the best time we will be able to do it." Ron nodded in agreement.

"Shouldn't we wait and do it with Daphne or something? Wouldn't she get irritated we left her out?" Ron looked surprisedly at his best friend as Tracey smiled at him.

"Daph will be fine," she assured before her smile turned slightly mischievous. "I didn't know you cared so much about Daphne, Harry. Anything you want to tell us?" Harry blushed in response and shook his head. Ron raised an eyebrow but caught the look Tracey threw him. He shrugged.

"If Harry has a thing for Greengrass, then it's his own business," Ron said staunchly. Tracey mock applauded and Ron smirked as though he had said something insightful. Harry simply grew redder and looked back over to the map. He scanned the enlarged parchment, looking through the many rooms that Hogwarts had, looking through the names on that accompanied the dots of the map…

"Hang on, where's Hermione?" Ron and Tracey too scanned the map, not finding her anywhere on the map. This was very strange. Even if someone was inside a secret passage, their presence would still be on the map, just appearing as though they were stuck inside a wall much like what Snape appeared to be like when Harry had looked on the map during the incident.

* * *

 _Location: Seventh Floor Corridor_

 _About an hour ago..._

Hermione was running, or swiftly walking away from a band of third-year Slytherins who had happened upon her when she had just finished talking to professor Vector about their latest assignment on the properties of the Taylor Series in Arithmancy, a topic she found extremely interesting even if it was a bit above her understanding of both muggle Mathematics and Arithmancy.

Like the rest of the school's Slytherins, these boys apparently memorized parts of that article written by that atrocious hag – Rita Skeeter. Like many others, they had quoted small passages as a part of teasing her which had been frustrating enough. However, what really hurt most was that one of them mentioned that Viktor had gone back with most of the Durmstrang students back to their respective homelands instead of staying like a few other students. This then devolved into a relentless barrage of insults that drove the poor girl almost to tears. Ashamed, she fled the scene, much to the jeering laughter of her tormenters.

For the first time in almost four years, Hermione felt alone. She had thought on many occasions to go find and stick to Harry and Ron but that wouldn't do. She had so many problems that she had to deal with, it would be really bad if Harry began to worry too much about her, affecting his pre-tournament preparation. It had been nice for him to have asked how she was doing, even Ron offered a few words of encouragement. Hermione accepted both warmly but denied that she needed their assistance. As formidable her opponent was this time, Hermione felt that she could take them on.

Breaking out of her thoughts, she found herself wandering a portion of the seventh floor corridor that she had not explored much. The Arithmancy classroom was on the other side of the school and thus Hermione never had a need to come here. Taking the chance to explore, Hermione walked around.

There were strangely few portraits around, many of them seeming empty because their denizens had apparently left to go to their other portraits. One stood out most, a portrait of a man named Barnabas the Barmy which Hermione had almost just walked past. The man painted in the portrait had a carefree expression, holding a giant club made of bone and was surrounded by a pack of trolls. While the man seemed to be yelling at the trolls for some reason or another, the creatures clearly did not care for the man's commands, simply walking around on sitting still. Hermione chuckled at the man's futile antics and noticed something written on the club.

"Those who want what they cannot get," Hermione read aloud, chuckling. She looked at the picture as a whole again, finding the man's antics more funny as she looked. The background of the painting was rather plain, simply a brown field with a strange 'R' shaped-sign at one corner. Hermione frowned. From an angle, the symbol was very familiar, one of the twenty-four basic Nordic Runes that Hermione had learnt all the way back at the beginning of the year. She easily recalled that the rune meant either 'journey' or 'ride', an odd symbol to put on a British painting. She looked to the other side of the painting to see if she could spot any clues.

The rest of the field was mostly barren, save for a patch of grass underneath Barnabas's foot with three flowers on it. Hermione frowned as she analysed the painting. It seemed odd that such a detail would be added to such a painting. Could it be?

Hermione took a few steps back and walked to the side of the big painting. She took three steps and was able to cross the length of the painting. Nothing happened. Hermione frowned and walked back to the point where she had started. Perhaps she was over analysing it she thought and turned around. To her surprise, a door that was not there before was present.

Hermione's jaw dropped in shock. In the many times she had read _Hogwarts: A History_ 's many editions from cover to cover, there had not been any mention of a room anything like this. Perhaps it was in the fabled first edition? Hermione walked over to the door. A memory of a certain talking book ran through her mind and she gulped. Nervously, she drew her wand.

" **Cantamem Aparecium,"** she incanted. The wave of light bounced onto the wall. A moment later, a brilliant flash lit up the corridor. Hermione quickly covered her eyes as the fulmination rocked the entire place. The light was so intense that it almost felt as though it were searing her skin, persisting for a few moments before nothing. The light was so intense that Hermione felt as though she were blind for a few moments after, all her senses overwhelmed by the sheer intensity of magic and light that had just hit her a moment ago.

It took a few moments for Hermione to calm herself. Whatever that door was, it held extremely strong magic. However, Hermione felt safe. When learning the Spell-Revealing Charm, Hermione had remembered the general rule of thumb about what was detected. Warm colors, particularly white were considered good or 'light' magic. Cooler colors, particularly black were considered signs of evil or 'dark' magic. While that classification was not completely bulletproof, Hermione was certain that she could not feel a shred of malevolence in the overwhelming magic that she had just tested. Now that her cautious nature had been pacified, all that was left was curiosity.

What was behind this door which had magic so much stronger than Hermione had ever heard of, let alone seen or experienced? The girl plucked up her Gryffindor courage and opened the door into the unknown.

* * *

 _Date: Tuesday, April 18_ _th_ _1995_

 _Location: Glastonbury Campsite_

Daphne looked boredly as she looked out at the town she had been many times before. Many large green plains could be seen from almost every direction, giving the town an idyllic feel. Unfortunately, Daphne had seen this sight so many times it had long since become a boring view for her.

"Come now," her mother said, ushering her and her sister towards the campsite they were to be staying in for the next few nights, as they had done every single year. It had become almost a chore to Daphne. She understood the exact reasons why she had to be here but simply didn't like her circumstance. It was times like these when she almost wished that she _wasn't_ the heiress to a Noble and Ancient House, if only to get away from having to attend such boring events.

As per usual, the tent they 'camped' in was extremely extravagant, even more so than most typical wizarding tents. All thanks to Genevieve's charmswork, the already luxurious tent was made into virtually a house with all it's amenities. Unfortunately, it also came with a heavy magical tax on both of Daphne's parents, her father sharing the burden so as to sustain the magical living ground's limits further. Knowing this, Daphne thanked her parents for the provision, though continued to wonder why they had to spend so much time here.

Because of the time it would take to set up their tent and equipment, Daphne and her family would arrive a day earlier than needed and begin their visit the grave on the following day and staying for a few more days before heading back home so that the children could get back to school. It was a tried and tested method which Daphne knew better than to argue against, despite how asinine she found it. After arriving, her parents had business to attend to and had thus essentially left her and Astoria to their own devices as they knew that the younger Greengrasses were watched over by family and friends. For this reason, Daphne simply strolled around as she usually would now.

Every so often, she would be greeted by some second cousin once removed, or some old grandaunt whose name she had to pain herself to recall. Every time, a formal yet accommodating response was what she provided and she received a likewise response. It was practised, yet Daphne still felt that something was missing every time she greeted or was greeted.

She soon reached the edge of the barrier that separated their campsite from the rest of the space around her. In the distance, an old castle could be seen and the town a few kilometres beyond that. The barrier itself was almost undetectable, Daphne only knew where it was because she had been told by her mother. Its purpose was simple, keeping any uninvited guests away. After all, this was a very private and, as continuously reminded by her mother, a very _important_ one as well. Daphne agreed that honouring her house's founder was extremely important but disagreed with the length of the time that the event took.

"Ah, scion Greengrass, it is nice to see you here!"

Daphne suppressed a groan and put on a smile as she tried to recall exactly which relative or family friend this person was. An old but friendly face greeted her jovially. The man appeared short in stature, with wisps of white hair covering a small portion of his head and aa walking stick in hand. Despite everything, Daphne felt guarded simply by standing near the man. It was a sensation she had only felt a very small number of times, once when meeting with Dumbledore and the next down in the Chamber when meeting Lord Slytherin's avatar. This man was not someone to be trifled with.

A jolly chuckle came from the man in front of her, causing her to bow her head in shame of not addressing the man.

"My apologies, mister…" she said, gesturing for the man to finish.

"Just call me Magni, dispense with the honorific," the man said, much to Daphne's surprise. She tried once again to recall who the person was but–.

"Don't bother trying to figure out who I am, scion Greengrass, we have never crossed paths." The dismissive tone was almost irritating to the prideful Daphne, who glared at Magni. To her surprise, not only did the man not cower or flinch at all, he simply shook off one of her icier glares without any sign that he had even felt it.

"Who are you?" Daphne asked, more forcefully than she intended. Why would such a powerful man come here. Now? Why had he never come before? The questions simply kept popping up. Magni smiled.

"By name, I am Magni. By title I am the Professor of Ancient Studies of Durmstrang." Daphne's frown increased in intensity.

"A Norwegian man? I never realized that I had family or friends of my family in that area," she confessed. Tracey may have mentioned meeting such a man during the Yule Ball but because of the chaos that came from the immediate aftermath, Daphne had not been able to ask further. The man smiled knowingly.

"Oh, don't worry. I have not been a friend of your family for many generations. I was simply in the area and decided to visit a few old friends." Daphne raised an eyebrow. It was not uncommon for a wizard or witch to exceed one hundred years of age; in fact, many people consider their magical prime to be at the age of eighty or so. Even exceeding the two-hundred-year mark had been documented, albeit far less common. Those who lived past the age of three hundred… Daphne could only recall a very small number of documented cases, including the relatively recently deceased Nicholas Flamel and his wife Perenelle who lived through the use of a Philosopher's stone.

"Who are these old friends you are speaking of?" Daphne asked, hoping to get some information out of the enigma in front of her. He smiled infuriatingly.

"Well, I assume the one you know best is Alphard Gardener." Daphne paused.

"Gardener?!" Another vexing smile from the man.

"Alphard Gardener was the second son of his father Mace. Despite being a farmer, he heroically fought in against a giant uprising. For his actions, the then King Henry VII gave him lands and the muggle title of 'Baron', which has been lost to the ages due to the muggle 'right of conquest'. Nevertheless, the man took the name of 'Greengrass', after the green grasslands where he had claimed victory over a large horde of giants." Daphne tried to keep a neutral look as she glared at the man.

She had of course heard many times that Alphard Greengrass was a farmer that had fought in the conflict now known as the 'Third Great Giant Uprising' almost five centuries ago, a conflict that had happened almost concurrently with the muggle 'Wars of Roses' conflicts. Alphard had been said to have valiantly led the charge despite his small force and had somehow slew the giants that were invading. Magni's story held enough truth, though many of the details he pointed out were completely new to Daphne.

"And why should I believe you?" she asked suspiciously. Magni smiled again.

"You are free to believe or disbelieve whatever you wish to, scion Greengrass. I am merely an old man who wishes to visit an old friend. Until next time, scion Greengrass." With these last words, Magni walked off, swiftly crossing the barrier before Daphne could react and walking towards the great castle in the distance. Daphne watched in shock as the man simply left. As irritated as she was with the man, he had left her with so many unanswered questions that she was sorely tempted to chase him through the barrier. With difficulty, she reigned in herself, reminding herself of her duties before stalking back to her tent with much on her mind.

* * *

 _Location: Seventh Floor Corridor_

Hermione quickly walked across the corridor, doing her best to act naturally despite how excited she felt. A few paces later, the familiar painting of Barnabas the Barmy came back into view. A few moments later, the door appeared and Hermione walked in.

It had taken a few tries for Hermione to understand how the 'room' worked, at least to some extent. It had been extremely surprising for the young witch when she nervously walked into the room. The room was lined with many, many bookcases reaching up to the tops of the high ceiling. In the center was a very comfy-looking armchair and a table with a large book resting atop it. To Hermione's shock, that book was the fabled first edition of _Hogwarts: A History_. Naturally, Hermione eagerly read through the book but discovered that many of its pages appeared to be blank. She had tried many spells to reveal the text but received strange responses that she had not ever read about. It was strange, but Hermione found out a lot more about the school she had been studying in.

The next day, she had rushed off back to the room, even skipping breakfast in her haste. After completing the 'ritual' to activate the door, Hermione had walked in to find the room covered in what appeared to be a massive buffet. Hermione had been shocked and (feeling peckish) attempted to eat some of the food but quickly found that it was completely inedible, much to the irritation of her grumbling stomach. However, this gave her an idea.

Hermione exited the room and pondered for a while before walking back and forth once more. Once again, the door magically reappeared and the girl walked in. Instantly, she was greeted with the smell of hot water and soap. To her delight, her thoughts had been brought to life as she looked at the fully furnished bathroom in front of her. Unlike the showers in the Gryffindor dormitories, this place was extremely expansive and almost seemed like a pool in size. A few minutes later, a delighted Hermione was taking a well-deserved bath.

Hermione had thought about telling either Harry or Ron about her find but then decided against it for the moment. It was very exciting, having a secret of her own that no-one else seemed to have. She knew she was being somewhat selfish but still wished to keep it to herself until its existence should be revealed. She also considered telling a teacher about the room but quickly decided against it. Hermione was certain that there was no danger in using the room and wasn't sure if any teacher would believe her. For all she knew, the teachers themselves used the room often, so it wouldn't do much. And there was her original reason…

Over the next few days, Hermione decided to try and see if there were any limits to the room's abilities. Today, Hermione was testing to see if the room could be used to disprove one of the exceptions to Gamp's law of elementary transfiguration; that technology could in fact be magically conjured up. She had already noted that food and life, two of the other exceptions, were not able to be conjured up by the room. However, she was hopeful that this one would be different.

She made her third trip across the painting of Barnabas and walked into the door. By now, she no longer gazed in awe at the room's contents. She worked efficiently and methodically, almost akin to a muggle scientist or magical theorist. She walked a few steps and admired how the room looked this time around. The distinct smell of worked metal filled her lungs and Hermione looked deep into what appeared to be the storage facility of a factory. Hermione frowned. As she walked her three lengths of Barnabas's painting, she had been visualizing a muggle car, hoping that she would find it. It appeared that the room took her thought and did the best it could and Hermione saw a collection of metal frames, cogs, glass panes and other pieces that could theoretically make up a car but by no means 'technology'. A disappointed Hermione sighed and heard her stomach grumble.

Despite the fact that no-one could hear her, she blushed. Her mind darted to the lunch table that she was definitely missing now, given that it was well past two at this point. Suddenly, the room's feature morphed around her. Hermione looked in shock but was unable to stop the room's transformation. The pieces of metal and glass seemed to dissolve midair, as did everything else. Hermione blinked. The changing stopped. A shocked look appeared on Hermione's face.

What replaced the room she was just in was the fantastical food paradise that she had first seen a few days ago, filled with every kind of food imaginable – all inedible though. Hermione's eyes widened at her discovery. Not only could she summon close to anything from the room but she could also do so while still inside of the room! Her immense curiosity continuing to grow, Hermione continued with her investigation, the pangs of hunger all but forgotten.

* * *

 _Date: Wednesday, April 19_ _th_ _1995_

 _Location: Alphard Greengrass's Grave_

"We are gathered here today to…" Cyril Greengrass said with his voice boosted by the Sound Amplifying Charm. Slightly behind but still next to him were his wife and daughters, all with neutral looks on their faces as they looked out to the congregation in front of them. The people who had gathered almost numbered a hundred, from many different countries. Daphne held no wonder as she looked out at all the people that were here.

It was pureblood tradition to honor their house's founders during this holiday. Though many would honor this tradition, some (like the branch of Weasleys Ron was a part of) would disregard it as something of the past. After all, "What was the significance of doing it then?" they would ask, much to the chagrin of other members of their household. Daphne was inclined to agree, given how boring this could be, but found that completely disregarding tradition was unbecoming.

Daphne's father continued his speech as Daphne looked out through the crowd, hoping to spot a certain face. Since everyone seemed to be looking at her father, Daphne felt more at ease in this 'minor' infraction of protocol. From the elevated stage she was standing on, she could easily see every person who was gathered in the field. After a short while, the wispy white hair of Magni could be seen, almost blended into the crowd. Daphne narrowed her eyes to see the man more clearly. The man's expression was neutral but carefree, much like how he had looked when Daphne had first met him yesterday. The blonde's eyes narrowed further.

Suddenly, Magni seemed to look in her direction, smiling gently. Daphne's eyes widened back to normal and had to keep herself from reacting. Could this 'Magni' see her watching him from this distance? Daphne had asked her parents if they had met the foreign professor. Her father had simply not replied while her mother had frozen for a moment before denying it as well. The situation seemed suspicious.

Soon, her father's introductory speech ended and the visiting of the grave commenced. As part of Lord Greengrass's family, Daphne was one of the first to offer her greeting and prayer to her ancestor. Unlike many of other house founder's graves, Alphard had apparently insisted on a smaller and less extravagant grave. Perhaps he never thought that his house, one that was perpetrated from a farmer's son would last very long or simply because he was just a humble man. Daphne had pondered the question multiple times and continued to do so as she greeted her ancestor.

A few moments later, Daphne walked to the side, allowing an antsy Astoria to do so as well before the rest of the crowd paid their respects to the long since deceased man. After which, they would also greet Daphne and her family as another sign of respect. Naturally, Daphne had to return the favour in the cool iciness that her father displayed when doing so. Hm… it seemed much easier to fall into role now, odd.

After almost an hour of greeting and being greeted, Daphne was allowed return to her tent. Though the main event had ended, the families gathered would spend a few more nights in order to socialize. In some ways, Daphne hated this even more as it involved many far flung people who Daphne had no intention talking to engaging her with boring conversation, trying to persuade her to look upon them in a good light (and doing so in a very poor way). In many ways, she envied her father, who had her mother to 'drag' him away if and when he got too frustrated with the people he had to talk to. Daphne had no such person to aid her.

Her thoughts naturally drifted back to Hogwarts. Usually, she would be conversing with Tracey at this time, moaning about her responsibilities while the slightly younger girl would reply back with a mixture of snark and comfort. It felt really lonely without her best friend. _"What was Tracey doing that was so important that she had to stay behind?"_ Daphne thought before quashing it quickly. Being selfish was not something she had been raised be. However, the thought lingered.

Daphne knew that Harry stayed behind, simply because he said so after she had told him where she would be going. From her father's scornful words, she assumed that Weasley too would remain at school. In Daphne's opinion, it would make sense that Tracey would stick with the two Gryffindors, given that the brunette didn't seem particularly close with anyone else. Daphne was aware that her presence contributed to that unfortunate fact but couldn't help it. That was what made Tracey's sticking with her so special and Daphne was eternally grateful for her.

Deep in her thoughts, Daphne didn't notice that someone else was trying to talk to her.

"Daphne! Are you listening?" Astoria said loudly. Daphne shifted out of her thoughts and looked towards her sister. Astoria's look changed from irritation to concern. Odd.

"Sorry, Astoria. It was my fault, I should have been listening," Daphne apologised quickly. Astoria's concerned look persisted as the younger girl dusted herself off.

"Anyways," she said grumbling, "Father wants to meet you in his office on the last day before we return to Hogwarts." Daphne frowned. There were few reasons why her father would want to see her before she went to Hogwarts and none of them Daphne liked.

"I will inform him that I am able," Daphne said coolly. Astoria frowned but nodded.

"Until later, Daph."

"And to you as well."

 _Date: Saturday, April 22_ _nd_ _1995_

 _Location: Hogwarts Classroom 1D_

Harry and Ron yawned as they looked over at the collection of notes and booklets that was scatter on the desks they had placed together inside the classroom. On the other side of them, Tracey frowned.

"C'mon guys, it's not that early," she claimed, even though this would usually be a time that both boys would be asleep on a Saturday morning. However, neither could bring themselves to contest with the extremely energetic girl. Though they both found it strange that the girl would be so enthused to 'completing the map', the task had proven immensely difficult.

First of all, none of the three could even figure out how they would be able to make edits of the parchment in the first place. As far as their deduction went, the map itself was an actual map of the school enchanted with multiple different charms in order for it to work, including a particularly powerful variation of the **Homunculus Charm** which was powerful enough to detect ghosts and even bypass Harry's cloak. Tracey was convinced that it was from the Black family's spell library, though couldn't confirm it.

The trio had to unwillingly keep from asking Sirius for assistance for various reasons. Ron and Tracey had sworn to keep their two meetings with the animagus secret from Harry and thus abided with silence while Harry thought that Tracey didn't know who 'Padfoot' was. It was a funny situation when the three looked back on it but the present-day participants certainly didn't think so. A frown and a sigh came from Tracey as she watched Ron yawn once more.

"You know we're usually asleep at this time, right?" Harry said, stifling his own tired yawn. Tracey shrugged and went back to looking though the notes. On these pieces of parchment were a collection of the passages that the trio and their 'associates' had knowledge of, most of which had come from Fred and George's strangely cooperative help. They even pointed out a possible location which would outline even more secret passages that even they did not have knowledge of. Unfortunately, it was hidden in what was considered the (universally) most vile room in the castle – Room 234-00, otherwise known as Argus Filch's Office.

Students tended to avoid that passage on the ground floor simply to avoid being tagged with petty and often nonsensical punishments doled out by the cantankerous caretaker. Those who had dared (or were forced to) enter the office had described it as dank and dirty. Some said it was covered in rat carcasses left by Mrs Norris, though most dismissed it as a simple rumor. Tracey had been nervous when confronted with the idea but was pacified when Harry assured her that no rat carcasses were there when he was 'escorted' there by Filch two years ago.

Today, they would be embarking on a quest to find what Fred and George had called the 'Caretaker's Handbook', an 'ancient' book that was first authored by Hankerton Humble, the legendary first caretaker of Hogwarts and was passed from caretaker to caretaker. Rumor said that the book contained knowledge of all the secret passageways that the castle held, though the twins themselves had also remarked that if it were the case, they wouldn't have been able to outsmart Filch so many times. Regardless, it was the first of many goals that actually seemed feasible in completing the Marauder's Map.

"You two wake up too late," Tracey grumbled. "Besides, the plan begins now." Both boys groaned animatedly, much to Tracey's displeasure. The 'plan', as it were, was much more of a ragtag, quickly spun set of roles that Tracey had thought up rather than a systematic and detailed list of events that they were to achieve. Unfortunately, that was more planning than most of what Harry's prior adventures had to offer.

" **Tempus,"** Tracey incanted. A blue wisp of light flowed out of her wand, revealing the time as 8:12 am. Ron yawned again at the knowledge of the time.

"The plan starts in three minutes, Ron, you remember what you need to do right?" Tracey asked. Despite still being half asleep, Ron grumbled out a positive response. Tracey grimaced but stood up.

"Alright, we're off,. C'mon, Ron," she said and quickly walked out. Ron moaned in irritation but got up anyways and followed his Slytherin friend out the door in stupor. Harry sighed and got up.

" _This is more trouble than it needs to be,_ " he mused as he walked out of the door. If all went well, this 'operation' would be over in fifteen minutes. If not, well, Harry had no idea how many detentions they would have to serve.

He made his way to the Entrance Hall, careful to make sure no-one saw him enter the 'Caretaker's Passage'. It felt odd and strangely dangerous to be sneaking around without his cloak. However, the plan that Tracey had cooked up required them to possess it to potentially evade Filch so he had passed it onto them.

Safely making his way into the rarely walked passage, Harry walked up to a statue and waited. He quickly casted the time charm and waited. Mentally, he went over Tracey's scheme. From Tracey's observations, Filch usually cleaned the greenhouses at this time of the day which were situated on the other side of the school. The plan was for Tracey and Ron to distract the man if necessary while Harry made a copy of the handbook.

Harry was told to wait until 8:30 before attempting to begin his task as Tracey had warned him that Professor Sinistra would sometimes be patrolling until that time and may come across him if he were not careful. Fortunately, his worries were unfounded after he finished waiting. Taking a breath, he walked up to the door of Filch's Office.

" **Alohomora,"** he whispered. To his surprise, nothing happened. Harry frowned and tried again to no avail.

" _That's odd,"_ Harry thought but shrugged. Instead, he pulled out a key which Tracey had lent to him. She had said that it was to be used if all else failed and he assumed this qualified? Harry didn't know how this seemingly bare key would be able to open the door which had been locked beyond Harry's magical capabilities but decided to trust the brunette anyways. To his surprise, the key worked.

Harry quickly entered the dank office, paying to mind to the dim lamp that hung above him, or the many, many drawers of parchment that listed student's misbehaviour that the caretaker had punished. One was labelled after the Weasley twins and, with a pang of surprise, one was named after his father and Sirius. Harry shook his head. Now was not the time to be distracted.

Harry quickly looked around, careful to keep himself away from the drawer marked 'Confiscated and Highly Dangerous' which the Marauder's Map had once been found in. Instead, he looked at what appeared to be a more worn down drawer marked 'Important' and looked into it. Inside was a bunch of random items which Harry couldn't identify but no book. Harry frowned and continued looking.

He looked around the room again and spotted a small cupboard next to the small bed that was also within the room. Harry had a small moment of pity as he saw how underaccommodated the caretaker's bed was in comparison to his own but ignored it for now. The opened the cupboard and found a small and very worn book. Its title was virtually unreadable but Harry could barely make out the word 'Humble' scrawled on the bottom right corner of the cover. If this wasn't the handbook, Harry had no idea what would be. Harry drew his wand once more and concentrated hard on the book.

" **Gemino."** A small flash engulfed the well-worn book. Harry pushed as much energy as he could into the spell and pointed at the space atop the cupboard next to the original book. The light that had enveloped the handbook shifted to where Harry had been pointing before coalescing into a copy of the original book. Harry smiled and took a breath, almost dropping to his knee due from exertion. Harry frowned at his inexperience with the spell but was happy nonetheless when he flipped through the pages.

Though many of the words written from the caretakers of old seemed archaic to his eyes, it was nothing that a good potion or two wouldn't fix. From the pictures that were drawn in some of the pages, Harry could figure out that there were passages indicated in different places. It was difficult for Harry to not carry on reading but he quelled his curiosity and quickly put the copied book in his bag. After putting back the original back where it belonged, he quickly walked out, making sure to lock the door behind him before he quickly dashed back to the classroom. _"Hopefully, Ron and Tracey hadn't had any problems,"_ he thought happily as he walked.

* * *

 _Location: Greengrass Manor_

A slightly disgruntled Daphne walked up to the door of her father's office and knocked. It was not long after supper and her father had specified her to come at this time. As irritated as she felt, Daphne had dutifully complied with the order. Thankfully, she had the foresight to pack all of her belongings (the few that she needed) beforehand so even if the meeting went for too long, she wouldn't have any problems.

"Enter," came the commanding voice of Lord Greengrass. Daphne quickly pushed the door open and walked in. Her father was sitting at his desk, looking expectantly at her. There was nothing on his desk apart from his quill, a sign of respect that purebloods would show others as it exhibited their full concentration on the matter. Daphne had always received this courtesy and didn't make any special note of it.

"Father," she said as she walked up to the table and curtseying.

"Sit." Daphne complied with the order. Daughter and Father stared at each other for a moment. The air seemed to still, even the usual aura around the Greengrass Lord had stopped pulsing despite it still being present. Daphne however felt a rush of wind at the back of her head. She quickly realized what was going on and doubled her Occlumency shields. Cyril smiled and she glared at him.

"That was impolite, Father," Daphne said softly to prevent herself from growling. Lord Greengrass's smile persisted.

"A real enemy would not give you time to react, Daphne. I also had an important motive other than testing your reflexive shields to look into your mind," he explained casually. Daphne's glare intensified but did not say anything.

"On the other hand, I must commend you for shutting me out quickly. Although I wasn't aiming for much, you did block me from seeing anything past the last two months briefly, so congratulations are in order." Daphne did everything she could to prevent herself from raising an eyebrow at her father. Apparently, the effort was wasted as the man smirked slightly, much to his daughter's irritation.

"If this meeting was to assess my progress with your task," Daphne said, unable to hide the scathing tone in her voice, "What you saw was undoubtly enough for you to make a good judgement. Obviously, I am not progressing as well as I should." It was Lord Greengrass's turn to frown.

"Do have anything to say for yourself?" he asked. Daphne shook her head. The man's frown increased.

"From my assessment of your personality, as well as Harry Potter's I would have thought that you would be more than able to get close to the boy. As far as I can tell from the memories you hold, you are quite close to the boy in terms of time spent together, simply not emotionally attached." Daphne looked surprised.

"What makes you say that? We do not engage in any sort of relationship-esque activities apart from the ones we are forced into doing simply to keep up appearances," Daphne replied, getting increasingly irritated by her lack of progress.

Her father looked at her intently for a few moments before suddenly relaxing. The aura around him slackened, causing a small shockwave of sorts to emanate from him. Daphne was surprised when she felt the shockwave and looked up at her father once more. She was surprised to see what seemed like a different man. No longer did Lord Greengrass hold the grace and might that he seemed to cherish so dearly. What was left was a weary old father glancing at his daughter.

"Daphne," he said in a much softer tone, "I'll talk to you as a father rather than as Lord of your House." Daphne raised an eyebrow.

"What does that change, father?" she asked. The Greengrass lord sighed.

"Daphne, when was the last time you called me 'dad', like how Astoria calls me. On that note, when was the last time you called Astoria, 'Tori'? During this week, I haven't heard you use that nickname even once." Daphne frowned.

"Have you not always instructed me to act with absolute dignity and grace? Am I not doing as you say?" Daphne was beginning to feel her irritation boil over at her father acting strangely. Just what did he want from her. The man sighed, extremely uncharacteristically and looked at his daughter.

"Only during public or social events. It is always important to be able to relax and act naturally when you are with your close friends and family." Daphne raised an eyebrow.

"I am acting naturally," she replied defiantly. Cyril Greengrass pinched the middle of his brow, another uncharacteristic action. He glanced at Daphne with a searching look. Daphne quickly redoubled her occlumentic shields but felt nothing coming in her direction, odd. Her father then sighed once more with an air that seemed to show that he had understood something extremely important. A few moments later, he spoke up.

"Have I ever told you why I married your mother?" Daphne paused for a moment. Her father had never spoken about it in detail, usually pointing to making alliances as the reason. The man put a strange expression on his face, somewhat resembling a mixture between a pout and a frown.

"Daphne," he addressed. "You know how your mother and I act very differently compared to each other?" Daphne could not help but deadpan. That sentence was not only vague but only barely descriptive enough to accurately describe the situation. Cyril and Genevieve acted almost completely opposite to one another in most situations. While Cyril was cold, decisive and well-planned, his wife was warm, open-minded and spontaneous. The list could go on and on, perhaps an entire book would not be able to cover the many differences that the pair had with one another.

"Yes father," Daphne replied monotonously. Cyril laughed, much to Daphne's absolute surprise. She couldn't remember the last time her father had laughed like this, only remembering the many times he had used his realistic but fake chuckle when talking to other important individuals. Daphne did not know what to do and watched as her usually stoic father laugh like he had heard the funniest joke in the world. It took a while before the man finished, where Daphne sat awkwardly and watched.

"Back to the point," he said, keeping the smile off his face, "You would probably think that a person like me would be more suited to a 'traditionally-minded' or at least more reserved wife, like say your friend Tracey's mother?" Daphne nodded slowly, unsure of where he was going with this.

"And?" she asked impatiently before covering her mouth in embarrassment. To her surprise, not only did her father _not_ reprimand her for speaking out of turn but smiled instead.

"The reason, as it were, was…" It was clear that Cyril was having some trouble saying this next line. Daphne tried her best but was unable to detect any physical indication that he was embarrassed. It appeared that despite whatever had come over him, Cyril Greengrass still retained his occlumentic skills.

"The reason is because your mother compliments me." Daphne looked strangely at her father, doing her best to prevent herself from saying something sarcastic. Her father apparently realized what he said and went to correct himself.

"What I mean is that your mother and I are able to cover each other's weak spots. If I miss something, your mother can point it out for me. Or if she forgets a detail in her planning, I remind her. Of course, I also love her dearly." Daphne had to increase her occlumentic shields back to their maximum to prevent herself from making a face. Cyril noticed her effort and nodded with approval.

"Of course, there are many other romantic relationships out in the world which function with a different dynamic," he added with an afterthought. "The point though is, I would have thought that given what I know about Harry Potter and you, you might be able to form some similar dynamic in your relationship. I didn't expect Dumbledore's intervention," he said with a scowl on his face, "but it coincided with my goals for once."

Daphne did not know what to think and simply nodded. Too much information was going through her mind at the moment and she hoped that her father would finish his talk soon. Cyril apparently noticed because he coughed slightly.

"Well, that was my original assessment at least. As you are now, you are definitely not going to be able to do as I asked, let alone what the old headmaster wishes for you to do." Those words thundered through her already tired brain, seemingly jarring her awake like an electric shock. Daphne blinked a few times and looked searchingly at her father. He took out a piece of seemingly blank parchment from his drawer.

"One last thing," he said, holding out the parchment. "Read it when you get back to Hogwarts." Daphne took the sheet and almost gasped in shock. She looked up at her father.

The man took a deep breath. In that moment, the man's back seemed to straighten without him moving and his aura returned in full force. Daphne felt a phantom rush of air at her face and looked back up to see the typical look of Lord Greengrass, apathetic and cold.

"That is all. You may leave," he said with the same, cool tone he would usually use. Daphne hid her questions and emotions before replying back with the same tone.

"Until tomorrow, father." With these parting words, Daphne curtseyed and walked out of the office. Once she turned the corner, she quickly hastened her footsteps and all but sprinted back into her room. There were too many thoughts raging through her head. That conversation was supposed to get her answers, not more questions! With an aggravated sigh, Daphne walked into her room and all but passed out on the bed, dignity and grace forgotten in her weariness.

* * *

 _Spells Used:_

 _Cantamem Aparecium – Spell-Revealing Charm_

 _Sonorus – Sound Amplifying Charm_

 _Homunculi – General Homunculus Charm_

 _Tempus – Time Charm_

 _Alohomora – Unlocking Charm_

 _Gemino – Duplicating Charm_

 _ **Next Time – Exploration**_


	25. Chapter 25 - Exploration

" _Text"_ – Thoughts

" **Text"** – Spellcast

" _Text"_ – Non-English Words

 _Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, JK Rowling does_

* * *

 _ **Chapter 25 – Exploration**_

 _Date: Saturday, May 6_ _th_ _1995_

 _Location: Great Hall_

In the two weeks that followed, Daphne found out that nothing really interesting had happened. Classes had resumed as per normal for their third and final semester of her fourth year and nothing much interesting seemed to be happening apart from the final task of the Triwizard Tournament.

"Daph-ne!" said Tracey in a sing-song voice. The blonde attempted to smile but was so overcome with boredom that the friendly expression turned into some sort of grimace. Tracey made a face and sat down beside her.

"Hel-Hi Tracey," Daphne said, correcting herself mid-sentence. Tracey appeared to ignore it and began putting food onto her plate. Daphne cursed her own mistake and glanced at Tracey. This was not the first time it had happened since the end of Easter break when Daphne had that extremely confusing conversation with her father. The next morning made it seem like the previous night's conversation had never happened as Lord Greengrass had gone back to his cold and apathetic self, even rousing Lady Greengrass's irritation. And Daphne cursed herself for letting her thoughts go back to the conversation that night.

Even after all this time, she had not been able to figure out what her father meant, a fact that was wounding her pride as an analytical person. Fortunately, the only people who seemed to pick up on it were Astoria (who likely eavesdropped on the conversation), Tracey (who knew her too well) and Potter (Daphne did not have a good explanation for this), so Daphne was not too concerned. However, the thoughts had been plaguing her sleep so often that she wondered at one point if her father cursed her with some archaic spell from their vaults (though that would not serve any purpose benefitting him).

Worst of all was the random mid-sentence corrections which thankfully only happened on those three people as well. This however had made some people's head's turn, though they soon dismissed it as either misheard words or randomness (and probably the glare Daphne threw in along with it). However, it did not stop the most persistent of Daphne's belligerents, as she would soon be reminded when–.

"Greengrass!"

Daphne prevented herself from groaning in displeasure as the shrill sound of Pansy Parkinson's voice reached her ears and did her best to ignore the heiress to House Parkinson. Unfortunately for her, Pansy was anything but willing to give up.

"We both know you can hear me," said the pug-faced girl. Daphne frowned and looked up. Curiously, Pansy seemed to have a strange look in her eye which she only covered after a short while.

"What is it, Parkinson," Daphne said wearily. Naturally, this was not the first time Pansy had attempted to engage Daphne in conversation in the past while, nor would it be the last. In fact, Daphne could probably count ten separate encounters where the Parkinson heiress had attempted to insert herself unwantedly into Daphne's conversations after the Easter break.

"I wish for you to join Draco and I –" Daphne stopped her right there.

"Unfortunately for you, I am not willing to join with a dandy like Malfoy and yourself in any sort of event or partnership," she said, trying to decline as politely as possible given her irritation. Obviously, Pansy was unsatisfied and the girl stomped loudly.

"I know what you're doing," Pansy said accusingly, "You're trying to wrest control of our house from our rightful hands!" Daphne raised an eyebrow at her adversary. A few heads had turned to look at the conversation, a few of them the upper-year students who had bothered to drag themselves out of bed this early in the day.

"If I recall correctly, one of our house's favoured attributes include ambition. If I am not willing to do as much, what kind of Slytherin would I be?" A few murmurs could be heard from around the table. As random as they seemed, Daphne was confident that she had the upper hand. Apparently, Pansy thought so as well.

"House Slytherin does not need a leader like you who goes to lions for help," Pansy said venomously. The murmurs increased further.

"Need I remind you that our house also admires both resourcefulness and fraternity? Lord Slytherin was once brother-in-arms with Lord Gryffindor. By extension, Gryffindors are also our 'kinsmen', despite their less-than-subtle attitudes," Daphne pointed out. A few people nodded, though those were the younger students who were watching. Most of the older students did not appear to react, though different glimmers in their eyes betrayed their true thoughts. Pansy, however, appeared to not have the same subtlety and simply looked disgusted.

"You would have us cooperate with those…" she seethed. Daphne raised an eyebrow before turning around. A cool look stared back at her and Daphne bit her lip. The person in front of her was slick faced, almost as though it had been shined by some liquid. His eyes were a cool blue and stared deep into Daphne's eyes. The girl held back a flinch at the cold, unfeeling stare before he relented.

"Now, now ladies," he said with a rough voice, "We're all _friends_ here, we do not need to fight." Daphne glared harshly between Pansy and the speaker before relenting. It seemed that people from other houses were beginning to look at what the commotion was, some teachers were even getting those students to get back to their seats.

"Of course, Dorcas, we wouldn't want the other houses to think we were anything but the closest of family, now would we, Pansy." Pansy too appeared to realize the gravity of the situation and put on the sweetest (but easily identifiable as fake) smile she could muster.

"Of course, Daphne, how could I have forgotten," she said in an exaggeratedly girlish tone. With those lines, she stalked off with a huff. The crowd began to disperse and Daphne turned to the man who had spoken earlier.

"Hello, heir Selwyn," she greeted formally, though she remained seated. The pale-skinned man smirked.

"Greetings to you as well, scion Greengrass," he greeted back. Daphne frowned as he did not speak further.

"If I may, why did you intervene in such a trivial matter? A prefect or teacher would have happened upon us. Why, Prefect Gerald Bulstrode is right there," she pointed at the sixth-year who was currently gorging himself with food.

"Sadly, I find myself in need of interfering simply because of the people involved. For the sake of our futures, of course" he said dismissively." Daphne's eyes narrowed. Dorcas Selwyn was one of the shrewdest people Daphne knew. A person never to make an action without suitable reasons and willing to do anything to achieve his goals. However, most terrifying was how shrouded his motives were, not even his 'friends' seemed to know what Selwyn was thinking.

"I apologise on both Pansy's and my own behalf for our misconduct," Daphne said, bowing her head. Selwyn was another person who was virtually untouchable. It was best to bow out before she accidentally offended him.

"Apology accepted, _scion_ Greengrass. Let it be known that the Greengrasses know when to apologise," he said, addressing the rest of the table. Daphne grit her teeth but did not say anything. Dorcas turned back to her.

"Family is one of the most important things in the world. Cherish it," he said with a smirk. "Until later, _scion_ Greengrass." Dorcas turned and walked back to where he had been seated and continued to eat. Daphne kept a neutral face on.

" _Says the person who facilitated…"_ she thought irritatedly. It was incredibly frustrating for Daphne to be completely unable to do anything against someone, especially someone as unreadable as Selwyn. Not to mention how he had mocked her…

Daphne was slightly angered, the confusion that had overtaken her for the last two weeks briefly lifted. She stood up, knowing that she had to go somewhere else to avoid further irritation. Unfortunately, only one place came to mind. Oh well, she could kill two birds with one stone

"Tracey!" she said quietly. The brunette looked up, having seemingly finished her food as she was waiting. "We're getting the boys and going back you-know-where. Exploration." Tracey made a sound but nodded nonetheless. She too stood up and followed Daphne as the blonde walked over to the Gryffindor table in a hurry and grabbed a bewildered Harry Potter before rushing out of the hall, much like she had done a few months ago. Tracey sighed and ignored the many curious looks directed their way. Daphne's odd actions and reactions just seemed to multiply.

* * *

 _Location: Chamber of Secrets_

"Ahh! It's good to be back!" Tracey said brightly as the quartet walked into the left chamber.

"It has been a while," Harry admitted, still slightly wary about being down here. It was a feeling that he would never completely overcome, though it had diminished greatly since the first time he had reopened the chamber all those months ago.

"So, what are we doing here?" Ron asked grumpily. "We still don't know anything about the third task so we can't exactly help Harry with it." The girls had dragged him and Harry out far before he had his fill of food. Although Tracey had reminded him that lunch was not too far away, he had countered by reminding her that their 'sessions' down here tended to last until dinner. Tracey had made a strange, almost foreign expression at this, which served to make Ron grunt in irritation.

"Daphne needs to blow off some steam where no-one will interfere," Tracey explained before her expression became mischievous and looked towards Harry, "If you know what I mean."

Harry and Daphne quickly caught onto Tracey's connotations and turned bright red, much to Tracey's mirthful laughter. Daphne half-heartedly tried to gently slap her friend, which was dodged easily by the spry brunette.

"I haven't seen that happen in quite a while," commented Harry. Daphne and Tracey looked strangely at him.

"You're right," Ron added, much to the girls' confusion.

"You've seen Daphne try to slap me before?" Tracey asked. Now that she thought about it… When was the last time this happened? Tracey had a contemplative look on her face and turned to Daphne. To her surprise, the melancholic look that had marred the blonde's face over the last two weeks had returned again. Tracey frowned and looked at the boys. Ron had no change of expression but Harry seemed to frown. Tracey filed the thought back into the back of her mind.

"Alright, since we're here, we haven't done much exploring of the place have we?" she said. A plan had begun to formulate itself in her head. With luck, Daphne would get back to normal, Harry would get some progress and … Tracey refused to finish that last though as she looked at Ron.

"Tracey's right," Daphne said. A look of surprise flitted through her face, caught by both Harry and Tracey. The latter ignored it and nodded her head vigorously.

"So… since we don't have anything better to do, why don't we spend some time looking around? I mean, there are so many potential passages that we could have taken on our trip down and other passages as we walked here. It'd be fun!" Despite her jubilant expression, Harry and Ron had their doubts. Daphne kept a neutral expression, happy that Tracey was following through with their 'plan'.

"Are you two _Gryffindors_ telling me that you are scared?" she asked dismissively. The effect of the words was instant and both wary looks were quickly replaced by indignant ones. Daphne smirked furtively, though Tracey caught it, filing it into the back of her mind.

"Alright, so to make things simpler, Daph and Harry we go as a pair and Ron and I will be the other. Any objections?" Three shaking heads answered her question.

"We should reconvene in about two hours at most. That way, Weasley will get his precious lunchtime and I get a break from walking around so much," Daphne supplied. Tracey nodded in agreement, as did the other two.

"Fine, but you owe us one." Ron said, grumbling. Tracey caught the small smile he had. A blush quickly skimmed her face and she gently shook her head.

"Well then, let's go!"

It had been a few minutes since the pairs had separated to go their own ways. Daphne and Harry were currently investigating the 'left-side' passages that began from the end of the corridor that ran between the bottom of the slide and the entrance of the chamber proper.

"You have got to teach me that charm," Harry said with a small amount of wonder. As if beckoned by Harry, the conjured lion-shaped light turned to him and nodded before continuing to trot off, illuminating the dim and dank passage that they were currently in.

"With your proficiency in charms, you should take to it with ease," Daphne admitted. "Perhaps as preparation for the next task?" Harry nodded and smiled happily which Daphne showed no reaction to. The pair continued for a short while before Harry spoke up.

"I didn't think there would be so many underground passages here."

"Lord Slytherin would have made it so that any fool stupid enough to infiltrate his sanctum would be trapped here. Naturally, this also would include a large amount of 'red herring' passages. For all we know, there might be the skeletons of some wayward eavesdropper who found themselves unable to escape." Harry shivered at the morbid thought, much to Daphne's apparent amusement.

"That's a little…" Daphne smirked.

"I'm sure that places like the Hallow of Valor would be equally important to some of you Gryffindors," she said dismissively. Harry frowned, having not heard of this place before but shrugged anyways before a thought hit him.

"Wait a minute, how are we going to find our way back if we get lost?!" he said, panicking slightly. Daphne sighed and pulled out a tennis-ball shaped object. The object appeared to be made of glass with a silver band running across it. Harry started. He had seen something like this before.

"This is a Rememberall, used by wizards and witches to retain perfect memory of whatever they desire. It also helps us make sure that our memories haven't been messed with," she explained. Harry nodded.

"Neville has one of those," he recalled. Daphne shrugged.

"Not that surprising. It's not exactly uncommon to have one, especially given Neville's social standing. You probably have one in Potter Manor yourself for instance. Harry stopped walking as he heard this, causing Daphne to turn around. "Potter?" she asked. Harry stood still for a moment before shaking his head.

"Sorry, I just remembered that I had a manor…" he said, trailing off at the end. Daphne smiled. His reaction that day when she told him about the manor was priceless, almost enough for her to forgive him for not waking her up after she had fallen asleep under that tree. It almost seemed like it had been ages ago since that day, before Crouch, before all that confusion…

"What's wrong, Daphne?" Harry asked. The blonde started and replaced her façade.

"Nothing, Potter," she said, hoping that he would take the hint and stop persisting. Unfortunately, as he usually did, Harry didn't follow what Daphne thought he would do.

"No, something is up with you. It has been for the past two weeks," he said. Daphne detected the concerned tone in his voice, odd.

"There has not been any problems with myself," she said coldly. Her words were accompanied with the glare she had given to many people to get them to keep quiet, a glare she had used a few times successfully against Harry. But apparently, today was different as Harry stood his ground.

"Look, Daphne," he said. "I know we aren't the closest of people and I know I'm not the smartest person around so can you please tell me what's going on?" he asked. Daphne wanted to snort in amusement but stayed herself.

"And why should I?" she asked coolly. Harry smirked and Daphne bit her lip. Ah, crap. She hadn't meant to say that.

"You just confirmed that something is wrong," Harry said smugly. Daphne cursed herself. When did Potter get so good at picking up hints but so bad at following them?

"Regardless of what you think, I do not believe that I am obliged to reveal my secrets to you, Harry Potter." Harry sighed.

"Fine." Daphne was appeased and turned around before sighing in relief. She was about to carry on walking before she heard Harry's mumbling whisper.

"What was that?" she asked accusingly. Harry looked up and frowned. Daphne glared at him for a short while before he actually responded.

"I said that you were finally getting back to how you were before," he mumbled out, a bit louder this time so that Daphne could hear him. Unfortunately, it appeared that she still didn't comprehend what he was saying as she stared owlishly at him.

"When is this before you speak of?" Daphne all but demanded. A flash from her conversation with her father hit her once more and the confusion hit her again in full force. Daphne did not move from her spot but apparently her façade had collapsed as Harry quickly walked over.

"And there's the face you have had for these past few weeks. What's wrong, Daphne?" he asked concernedly. Daphne ignored his question.

"What do you mean before?" she asked, softly this time. It was also though she were trying to preserve her faltering composure. Thankfully, Harry complied with her unspoken wishes this time.

"Before the whole tournament business began, back when you were first teaching me about pure-blood customs and stuff," he explained. Daphne's mind went back to that time, god, that seemed like years ago after everything that had happened, even though only just over half a year had passed.

"… I mean, you even called me by first name a few times," Harry continued. Daphne started. She had? The Rememberall in her hand glowed a shade of light red. So she had and had apparently naturally forgotten it. That seemed…

"I see…" Daphne said. It was useless to deny the fact, simply because even Potter seemed to know what the color of the orb represented.

"How you talked was different too," Harry supplied. Daphne frowned.

"How I spoke?" she asked airily. Harry nodded and Daphne shook her head. The confusion had been amplified with what Potter had been saying causing Daphne to feel a little disoriented. Harry could see her discomfort, how humiliating, and reached out to her.

"Don't worry, I'm here for you," he said. Daphne went red and pushed away his hand.

"Don't say something like that! Some people would misunderstand!" Harry looked confused.

"I'd be there for any of my friends. Why would you be any different?" he asked. Daphne wanted to retort but found herself unwilling to. They were friends? When did that happen? Daphne shook her head. As perplexing as her situation was, she could not afford to lose composure.

"Give me a moment to catch my breath, we've walked for quite a bit by now." The light from the Lion's Light Charm had faded into nothing, plunging the passage back into darkness.

* * *

Meanwhile, Ron and Tracey were exploring the 'right-side' passages that lead from the chamber of secrets. Compared to the other pair, this pair moved relatively fast and they had already reached a couple of dead ends. A few fully rotted skeletons had been found along the way, much to the fright of whoever discovered it.

"C'mon, Ron!" Tracey said from a few feet away. The redheaded boy grumbled but quickly complied.

"The passage isn't going to go anywhere," he said. "I think," he added with an afterthought. Tracey smirked.

"Oh relax, Ron. Lady Ravenclaw and the architect of the school were the ones to put in all the moving passages that the school has. Since Lord Slytherin was the one to make this chamber, there shouldn't be any shifting corridors here." Tracey's words seemed to pacify Ron, who followed along.

"You should be faster," she said before slowing slightly. "Never thought I'd say that to a guy before," she whispered, though loud enough for Ron to hear her. Unfortunately, the words did not have its intended effect and Ron just gave her a confused look, much to her chagrin.

"You keep walking so fast and you'll end up tripping over a skeleton or something," he mumbled.

"Or I'll run into a wicked sword or something, wouldn't that be interesting?" Ron seemed to perk up slightly but then shrugged. The pair continued their walking until Ron tripped over something.

"Argh!" he shouted, managing to keep himself from face-planting but still falling over. Tracey quickly jogged over as Ron was picking himself back up.

"Are you alright?" she asked.

"m'fine," Ron grumbled. "Kinda wish we had Greengrass's lion charm thing," he admitted. A flash of worry flitted through Tracey's face but was masked before he noticed anything.

"Sorry, Ron," she said apologetically, "I wouldn't be able to maintain the spell for very long if I tried." Ron shrugged.

"Why did you separate us from Harry and Greengrass anyways?" he asked. Tracey pouted.

"What? Is alone time with me that bad?" she teased. Ron frowned and made a sound.

"Remember what happened last time?" The unspoken incident weighed down. Tracey and Ron unconsciously extinguished both of their lights, rendering both of them unable to see each other's blushes.

"Why'd you turn off the light?" Ron asked after they had both reignited the charms.

"I lost concentration," Tracey admitted, "So did you." Ron grunted but did not continue to pursue that conversation.

"You still haven't answered why you separated us from Harry and Greengrass. If anything, you should have put me and Greengrass and you and Harry, considering that you two are faster than me and Greengrass. Or you could have put me and Harry together, seeing as we're more used to working together," Ron asked. Tracey couldn't help but smile. Ron's rarely acknowledged but surprisingly vast tactical ability shone through in the most random of times. Oh well, she would have to answer him anyways.

"You probably haven't noticed but Daphne has been acting kind of strangely these few weeks," she explained. Ron shook his head; he hadn't noticed at all. "Well, both me and Astoria, her sister, have tried talking to her about it but she kinda just blows us off or changes the topic before we can do anything." Ron frowned.

"How would Harry be able to do anything that neither of you could?" he asked. Tracey smiled mysteriously.

"Daph acts differently around Harry, I was hoping to see if he could use that effect," she explained. Ron's frown widened. He had thought something strange was going on.

"So separating us was…"

"To give them alone time. For all I know, Daphne just needs to relieve some stress or something. She can't exactly do it with us around." Tracey said with a playful wink. Ron finally caught onto what Tracey was implying and blushed.

"Harry wouldn't … shouldn't … can't …" he stammered. Tracey laughed.

"Oh relax, Ron, I was just kidding. There's no way Daph would do anything like what you're probably thinking about right now." Ron grumbled something about spending too much time listening to Dean and Seamus, much to Tracey's amusement.

"Come to think of it, you seem a bit different as well," Ron commented. Tracey stopped in her walking.

"How so?" she asked. Ron didn't seem to have an answer as he made a concentrated look.

"I don't really know how to explain it. You seem more 'jokey' or something these few weeks, I dunno …" Despite Ron's less than vivid descriptions, Tracey understood his meaning somewhat.

"Let's just say that a few things here and there add up to what is happening now," she said. For a moment, Tracey looked much more serious than she usually did. Ron was almost taken aback by the change in atmosphere which was lifted not a second later. Tracey giggled and skipped away as Ron still was in the middle of contemplation.

"Wait! What does that even mean?" The fading light of Tracey's wand answered him. With an annoyed sigh, Ron chased after the Slytherin. As strange as she was, Ron couldn't help but wonder about her.

* * *

 _Date: Wednesday, May 24_ _st_ _1995_

 _Location: Secret Passage_

The next two weeks seemed to go by very quickly as the summer term's work began in earnest. Usually, Harry would be practising hard for the final Quidditch match of the season but due to its cancellation, he was left with nothing much to do. Well, he would, if Daphne didn't have a say in what he did. And so, instead of loitering around aimlessly, Harry found himself back underneath the school dungeons, exploring the passageways that lead from the chamber's entrance, as he had been intermittently for the last few days.

Daphne was a few steps behind of him, though her lion-light guided them both from a few paces away. Harry's version was still non-corporeal, floating alongside Daphne's lion like a misty mane.

"I wish that I was doing better on this charm," muttered Harry as they trudged along. Daphne stopped and gave him a lofty look.

"Just because you somehow had some more success with the more complex and far more difficult **Patronus Charm** doesn't mean you will be good at this one as well," she chided. "For one, they have completely different requirements to cast." Harry nodded but still grumbled under his breath. Unlike the Patronus or the general Wand-Lighting Charm, the Lion's Light requires the user to meticulously focus the correct amount of magic into their spell at a constant rate. Too little and the beast would not materialize. Too much and the charm would fail, creating a minor explosion as Harry and Ron had witnessed countless times as they practised the charm.

"Still though…" Harry groused. Daphne couldn't resist the urge to frown at him. He, as a thirteen-year-old (she guessed) was already able to perform one of the most complicated and well-renowned defensive charms widely known, a spell that only some of the most powerful of witches and wizards could produce. Even her own father was not able to do so ... It sometimes astounded her just how powerful Harry sometimes appeared, not that she would tell him that any time soon. It would be terrible if he got arrogant like many of his insufferable housemates.

"If you really had to, you could possibly try using your own Patronus, if you were able to," she said snappishly. Harry rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment. He had tried to cast his Patronus again to prove to the girls that he was able to do so. Somehow, he was only successful in conjuring up a large quantity of mist rather than the majestic 'Prongs', as he now called it. Daphne did not seem surprised and commented on something to do with intent, much to Harry's confusion. He shrugged and tried again. Summoning up the memory of being rescued by Hagrid from the Dursleys once more, he shouted.

" **Expecto Patronum!"**

A large amount of mist was conjured, much to his annoyance. However, it proved far more luminous than Daphne's conjured lion as it was able to shine through every nook and cranny of the passage with its ethereal blue glow. Daphne showed no surprise.

"Well done, though you have simply proven my point." Harry looked exasperated but Daphne continued. "Oh, I don't mean that you are lying about being able to cast a fully-fledged Patronus, as hard as that is to believe, I just meant that your intent matters greatly when casting that charm." Harry looked a bit confused and Daphne groaned.

"Remember our first lessons with Flitwick on the basics of Charms? The cornerstones of magic?" Harry nodded and Daphne continued. "Let me guess, when you were using that charm, you were trying to light up the passage, am I right?" Another nod.

"You don't have the need to use an actual Patronus, coupled with your inability to fully control your own magic power, therefore magic simply manifested itself using the least draining method to achieve your goal." Daphne's explanation made some sense to Harry so he shrugged.

"It worked then?" Daphne shrugged.

"More or less." Harry smiled.

"See, that's what I mean, you're not talking like Ron's brother Percy so much." Daphne gave him an affronted look. Potter had been pestering her every time her formal speech had slipped up almost every time these past weeks, much to her infuriation. It didn't help that she had only started faltering after their first trip around the passages.

"There is nothing wrong with speaking formally," Daphne claimed, huffing indignantly.

"When you're with friends, you don't have to talk like that," Harry said. Daphne frowned.

"Forgive me, Potter," she said trying to walk past him. Harry stopped her.

"Say 'sorry', not 'forgive me'." Daphne gave him a look. Potter was acting strangely forceful, probably either Tracey's doing or something of the sort. He was usually more soft spoken when dealing with her, with those occasional outbursts. This was different.

"Can we just drop this?" she asked, almost pleading him. Harry sighed and nodded. The two continued their way up the passageway. While it was clear that the passage had not been used for many decades, it seemed as though it was once a very important place. Frayed and greyed carpet led their way. The pair walked towards a diverging path, acting according to the 'rules' they had set for themselves. Unfortunately (and predictably), they ended at a dead end.

"Why are we doing this?" Harry moaned. Daphne shot him a look and he stopped, though his displeasure was still obvious. "We don't even know if I'll actually be going through a maze of some sort for the final task." Daphne glared.

"Are you insinuating that my father's information was incorrect?" she asked hotly. Harry backed up, raising his hands up in surrender. Daphne had shown him a piece of paper that her father had apparently written on, giving them a tip on what the final task was. Harry was sceptical and slightly annoyed that he had once again cheated, though Daphne's well natured deadpan brought him back to reality. If he wanted to win, or at least survive, he would need every edge he could get.

"Shouldn't I be doing this alone then?" he asked. Daphne deadpanned.

"If you somehow actually got lost, you wouldn't have a failsafe plan since your map does not show this part of the school. Plus, I actually have some interests in seeing what lies underneath our school," she explained. Harry raised an eyebrow which Daphne ignored. She, of course, wouldn't tell him that Tracey all but forced her to go along with Potter, probably so that Tracey herself could spend time with Weasley or something. It was either that or Tracey just wanted to annoy Daphne by forcing her to spend time with the person who could rile her up easiest.

"Thanks, I guess, for tagging along," he said. Daphne shrugged before catching herself in the act. Harry's smile only increased her self-directed irritation.

"Let's just get this part done with quickly," she said quickly, "We don't want to you to miss your appointment at nine." Professor McGonagall had instructed him to go down to the Quidditch field at that time, saying that Bagman would be "telling him about the third task".

"Sure," he said genially. The pair continued their walk on the main part of the passage. As they ascended, it appeared that the walls seemed to widen apart until they reached the end of the passage. Strangely the whole structure seemed to differ from the medieval-looking masonry that the chamber of secrets was made of, almost familiar to Harry but he couldn't quite place where he had seen it before. Next to him, Daphne started.

"Wait a minute," she said before gasping and turning to Harry. Excitement was evident in her eyes as she spoke, "Harry, say open in parseltongue." The boy was surprised but quickly did as she asked. He looked around, trying to find a snake figure that could help him get his mindset of speaking the ancient language. Daphne looked impatient.

"Come on, Potter," she half-growled. A sensation of irritation flooded Harry and he simply spoke.

" _Open"_

With a loud creaking noise, the wall separated and receded into its sides, revealing another passage. Daphne quickly walked into the narrow opening and beckoned Harry to follow. The boy complied and they soon found themselves almost crawling through the dark passage.

"Where are –"

"Quiet!" Daphne chided. As they moved further into the passage, frantic voices could be heard. Due to all the rock between them, Harry could not hear them clearly. However, it seemed that Daphne recognized them as she froze.

"Daphne, who are they?" he whispered as softly as he could. Daphne seemed to ignore him and continued to move forward. Light seemed to come from somewhere in front of them, though Harry couldn't see it from his perspective. Daphne moved a few more meters and stopped for a moment. Harry was about to speak when he saw her shake slightly. Using her hand, she gestured for him to go back where they had gone. Harry nodded and they quickly made their way out of there. For some reason, Daphne seemed out of breath, her hair slightly singed but looking victorious.

"What –"

"Harry! We found another entrance to the Chamber!" she said excitedly. A dumbfounded Harry looked at the cheerfully skipping blonde.

"Where is it?" he asked. Daphne looked at him with a smile.

"The entrance to the Slytherin Common Room, of course!"

* * *

 _Location: Hogwarts Quidditch Field_

Harry and Daphne had then quickly rushed back to the chamber proper, where a worried Tracey and Ron had been waiting for them. Tracey had quickly informed them of the time, causing Harry to panic as he feared being late for meeting Bagman and the other champions.

The quartet had hastily ascended back to Myrtle's bathroom, Tracey had cleared his robes of any muck still left on it after his underground adventure and Ron had taken his broom back to the dorm. Harry himself had rushed out as quickly as he could. Fortunately, not many students were still wandering the corridors at this hour so Harry had a clear path out the school.

He was almost certain that he was late and thus rushed as quickly as possible towards his beloved Quidditch field. The field lay a down the path of a lawn overlooking the lake. Since it was so dark, it was difficult to see what exactly was ahead, though the shadows that blocked the light emanating from the middle of the pitch seemed to indicate that there were four people already there. Harry picked up his pace and turned through a gap in the stands, walking out onto the field. What he saw made his jaw drop.

Harry blinked twice and looked back onto the Quidditch pitch… or what once was the pitch. Unlike the smooth and well-groomed field he was accustomed to, the ground was covered in a few feet high hedges that snaked around endlessly in some unpredictable manner. He noticed a beaming Bagman with Krum, Fleur and Cedric in the middle and quickly made his way across.

"Ah, Harry, you're here!" said Bagman in his overly cheery voice. Harry quickly apologised for his tardiness. Fleur frowned at him condescendingly. It appeared that her attitude towards him hadn't changed from the beginning.

"Well, what d'you think?" said Bagman happily, "Growing nicely, aren't they? Give them a month and Hagrid'll have them twenty feet high. Don't worry," he added, grinning, spotting the mortified expression on Harry's face, "you'll have your Quidditch field back to normal once the task is over! Now, I imagine you can guess what we're making here?" A moment of silence passed before Krum grunt a single word.

"Maze." Bagman smiled.

"That's right! A maze! The third task is really straightforward. The Triwizard cup will be put in the middle of the maze. The first champion to touch it gets full marks." Fleur gave Bagman a lofty look.

"We seemply 'ave to get through the maze?" she asked, seeming completely unimpressed.

"There will be obstacles, there'll be some creatures, some spells to break, you know, that kind of stuff." Fleur's expression didn't change and though no-one else reacted as obviously, it seemed as though the other champions were less-than-impressed. Bagman ignored this and continued.

"Now the champions with a lead on points get a head start," he said, bouncing excitedly like some child, "So first is Mr Diggory, followed by Mr. Krum, then Mr Potter and lastly Ms Delacour. So all of you have a fighting chance, depending on how you get past those obstacles." The champions all nodded politely.

"Very well, if you have no other questions, let's get back to the castle, it's getting chilly here," he said hurriedly. Harry and the champions followed the portly man out of the growing maze. Harry caught the scrutinizing look that Fleur sent his way and wondered why she seemed so patronizing towards him before he felt a tap on his shoulder.

"Could I haff a vord?" Harry wheeled around and looked up at Viktor Krum.

"Yeah, all right," he replied with some surprise.

"Vill you valk vith me?" Krum asked. Harry frowned. A voice in the back of his head shouted at him, reminding him that the man in front of him was his adversary. Harry stood his ground.

"If you have something to say to me, you can talk about it here," he replied back with some force. Krum seemed surprised.

"I don't vont to be overheard," Krum replied. Harry shrugged.

"There's no-one else here apart from us," he said, gesturing around the area. "Bagman won't hear us if you talk quieter." Krum gave him a glowering look but Harry had faced far worse and easily stood his ground.

"Very vell," he said before taking a breath. "Have you seen Hermy-own-ninny recently?" Harry was surprised at the question. Given the man's nature, he had assumed that it was something far more serious.

"Apart from in class, no," he replied truthfully. He was used to seeing Hermione virtually disappear from the common room during exam periods, oftentimes spending as much time in the library as she could. Since she had brushed off his help dealing with Skeeter, he had simply assumed that Hermione was working on a plan to retaliate. Krum didn't seem to like that answer though as he glowered once more. Despite the overwhelming height and age advantage, Harry easily brushed off this next wave of pressure that Krum sent his way.

"Has anything gone on vith you and Hermy-own-ninny before?" Krum asked. Harry shook his head.

"Never. We're just friends and that's it. It's just Skeeter making things up." Krum grunted.

"She talks about you very often," he said with a suspicious tone.

"Yeah. Because we're friends," he said firmly. Krum looked surprised and gave Harry a searching look.

"You haff not…"

"No."

Krum looked marginally happier, as his previous glare had lifted and the neutral expression that Krum usually wore retook its spot.

"Very vell," he said. "That's vhat I vanted to ask." Harry nodded and smiled. Krum had a slightly happier expression on his face now.

"I vatched your fight against the dragon. You vere very brave." Harry smiled.

"I was just doing my best. I'm sure you did even better than I did. Krum grunted in response, though in a much friendlier manner than previously. Harry yawned as it was beginning to get late. The conversation he had been having also added onto his tiredness. Krum noticed Harry's expression.

"I vill be going now," he said slightly stiffly. Harry smiled and waved.

"See you in a month, Mr. Krum." The man grunted a farewell and the two made their way back to their respective places of stay.

* * *

 _Location: Daphne's Dormitory_

Meanwhile, as Harry was walking back to the castle, Daphne and Tracey were at work writing down their 'findings' from the night's 'expedition'. Well, Tracey was. Daphne was sitting upright on her bed, her head in her pillow, trying desperately to cover up her embarrassment.

"You know, this would get done much faster if you didn't just dive onto your bed and start talking into your pillow," Tracey said airily. Daphne shot her friend a look and put down the pillow and unmasking her red face.

"So I'm guessing that I don't need to ask you about how your exploration went?" she asked. Daphne said nothing and Tracey sighed. "Seriously, Daph! Can't you –" Tracey was interrupted by Daphne muttering something. "What was that?" Daphne appeared horribly embarrassed but spoke louder anyways.

"I called Potter by his first name twice." Tracey deadpanned at her best friend.

"Really? That's it? I thought something bad actually happened." Daphne appeared to have different thoughts and reached for her pillow. Unfortunately for her, Tracey's reactions were much faster and she quickly snatched it out of her reach.

"Daphne, you've got to get some progress done! I mean really, it's been half a year and you can't even bare to call him by his first name?" Tracey said incredulously. Daphne didn't answer and Tracey bit her lip.

"Daph," she said in a very soft tone. Daphne looked towards her best friend, who had a sad expression marring her face. "Not all guys are like … _that_ person." A wave of fury engulfed Daphne, who glared icily out of her dorm's door. No doubt that charlatan was sitting somewhere there, charming some innocent girl out her mind…

"You can get close to him, Daph, Harry I mean," Tracey said softly. The enraged expression had not left Daphne's face.

"I will never forgive him," Daphne said venomously. Tracey smiled sadly.

"I won't either and don't expect you to. But Harry is different. He won't and quite frankly can't do what _he_ did to us." A moment of silence. Daphne knew that Tracey was right but it was just… so… Daphne sighed.

"I will consider it," she said stubbornly. Tracey frowned but shrugged. Little progress was better than no progress after all.

"Right. By the way, since you're not moping around anymore, why don't you help me with this," she said, gesturing at the incomplete list that was on her desk. It was nothing special, just a piece of parchment that showed when a passage reached a dead end. Daphne shrugged and pointed out the passage denotation that she and Harry had traversed through that night.

"That leads to a staircase that goes up to a hidden pathway behind the bust of Lord Slytherin," she said airily. Tracey began writing down what Daphne had said before stopping suddenly.

"Wait… what?!"

* * *

 _Date: Monday, 29_ _th_ _May 1995_

 _Location: Port of London_

Amidst the busy port of London, a mouse was hurriedly scurrying around. Such a scene was not particularly uncommon, though this mouse was quite strange itself. Though almost impossible to see from a distance, this mouse was missing its last finger from its left paw. A careful observer may also notice that this mouse was just a little too fast for its species, maybe even a little too intelligent for a mouse as it scampered into a dark alleyway. Of course, anyone would figure out that something was amiss when they witnessed the mouse literally transforming into a man after it had entered into a hole in the wall.

"Have you got news for me, Wormtail?" asked a raspy, cold voice. Wormtail dropped to knee and bowed down to his master.

"Ye-Yes my lord. There is a ship sailing to the city of Valencia departing tonight. Apparently, it is returning to –"

"Semantics!" his master shouted. Wormtail recoiled in fear, much to his master's irritation. The wisp snarled.

"You call yourself a Gryffindor? They may have been fools but they had bravery. Inane, ridiculous bravery but at least they had that as a redeeming trait! You have nothing!" Wormtail recoiled in fear once more and his master glared at him with disgust. A moment later, the master screamed in agony. Wormtail rushed to his master's side, only to be hit with a venomous glare.

"The little health I have recovered appears to be fading from me," Wormtail's master said calmly. The cowardly man had nothing to say and simply nodded slowly. The sound of a slithering snake rang through the forgotten corner of the port.

"Even Nagini knows…" murmured his master's cold voice. His master stroked the head of the giant snake, causing it to hiss in pleasure. Wormtail recoiled at the sight, obviously repulsed by the massive snake and failing to hide his emotions. His master glared for a moment before a strange expression took ahold of his face. It looked like a very twisted version of a smile and Wormtail suddenly felt very, very paranoid. His master began hissing towards Nagini, who hissed back in a similarly fast pace. After a few traded hisses, the large snake bobbed its head down and slithered away. However, the dangerous feeling did not cease and rather intensified.

"It is time, Wormtail," his master said. Wormtail was terrified.

"F-F-For what, my lord?" he squeaked. A terrifying grin was etched on his lord's face.

"A few months ago, I said you would have the honor of being as useful as Bertha Jorkins was, doing a job that most of my followers would give their right hand for. I now entrust you with an even greater task, one that my followers would give their bodies, or even their life for!" Wormtail's eye's widened as he began to internally panic.

"Th-Thank you, mi-milord," he stammered. His senses were going into overdrive; he was beginning to feel overwhelmed by the sheer pressure his lord was outputting. "What is it, my lord?" His master's grin widened.

"THIS!"

And suddenly, Wormtail knew nothing. He felt nothing, saw nothing and heard nothing. A moment later, his entire body felt as though it were being shocked, burned and frozen at the same time. Every single nerve in his body cried out in pain and his already fearful mind twisted and turned. His very essence felt as though it were being consumed, a pain unimaginable by mortal men.

And so, Peter Pettigrew screamed, howling like a banshee into the chilling night.

* * *

 _Spells Used:_

 _Lumos Leonis – Lion's Light Charm_

 _Expecto Patronum – Patronus Charm_

 _A/N: To anyone annoyed by the lack of action in these few chapters, sorry! I guarantee that the next chapter will have quite a bit of it though!_

 _ **Next Time: Starfall**_


	26. Chapter 26 - Starfall

" _Text"_ – Thoughts

" **Text"** – Spellcast

" _Text"_ – Non-English Words

 _Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, JK Rowling does_

* * *

 _ **Chapter 26 – Starfall**_

 _Date: Saturday, June 10_ _th_ _1995_

 _Location: Chamber of Secrets Left Hall_

"Don't you two need to study for your exams?" Harry asked as he walked into their usual spot inside the chamber of secrets. The past two weeks had been quite peaceful in his opinion, as though a large weight had been lifted from his head. He had felt his scar ache one morning a few weeks ago but nothing else had happened. Harry had considered mentioning it to either Dumbledore or Sirius but had ultimately decided against it. After all, it was a good thing, wasn't it?

"We are managing our time," Daphne said wearily. "Besides, you need more help than our grades do, though the same probably can't be said about Weasley." Ron looked indignant but couldn't deny her claims.

"At least we'll all get full marks of D.A.D.A," Tracey said brightly. "We probably wouldn't have bothered with so many of our spells if we didn't help Harry with this." Harry smiled.

"Thanks for your help, all of you," he said genuinely. Tracey smiled back, Ron patted him on the back and even Daphne had a small smile on her face. Harry apparently noticed it at the same time she did as she quickly neutralized her smile once he saw it.

"Anyways, you only have two weeks until your final task," Daphne said, clearing her voice. "I assume you have been practising?" Harry nodded. That he had done. Harry had been exempted from his exams this year, primarily because he had no time to study for them. Instead, he had been using that time practising the spells he knew for the task, as well as trying to learn one or two more spells that Daphne had provided.

"I'm still working on the **Blowback Hex** ," Harry said replied, rubbing his head. That specific hex was suggested to him by Hermione, who had given him a list of hexes and curses that he could work on for the third task after one lesson. It apparently worked better against Class XXXX beasts than the **Impediment Jinx** , which Hermione had crossed out above it.

"How are you faring?" Tracey asked

"It took us a bit of trouble to find that spell." Harry laughed in response.

The **Blowback Hex** essentially worked like an overpowered version of the **Banishing Charm** , capable of pushing away multiple objects away from the user with great force. The drawback was, other than the higher magic cost, the user also risked being thrown back if they were not careful enough, as Harry had found multiple times when he tried the spell.

"Have you worked on using **Everte Statum**?" Daphne asked.

Harry grimaced. This was one of Daphne's recommended 'failsafe' curses, the **Shock Curse**. According to Daphne, it was relatively easy to cast but difficult to practise (unless he was cruel enough to find living beings to use the painful curse on). He shuddered, quickly shaking his head. Daphne expected this answer and just nodded and moved topics.

"Has Professor Lupin replied yet?" This was yet another interesting thing that Hermione had pointed out on the short list she had given him, reminding him that their old professor (and friend) was very knowledgeable about dark creatures as he had taught his classes revolving around said creatures in the previous year. Because of this, Harry had written a hasty letter to his father's old friend, asking for assistance and advice. Unexpectedly, the man had replied rather swiftly and Harry had received his reply early this morning with advice.

"Lupin wrote back, gave me a few creatures that he thought would show up during the task," Harry replied. That had been what he had been working on all day, researching the ferocious occamy, the explosive erumpents and a few other creatures that had been described in Lupin's letter.

"Let me see what you've been using, might be able to help," Tracey offered. Harry shrugged and took out a few books and his notes from his bad and passed them to the brunette.

The girl quickly accepted them and took out an instrument that looked like a pair of extremely over-decorated gold glasses equipped with a pair of thunderbolt-shaped decorations on the side. She put them on and seemed to quickly read through everything that Harry had lent her at a lightning-fast. Harry and Ron watched with surprise as Tracey completed this feat with electricity seemingly cackling in her eyes. A few minutes later, Tracey finished and took off the glasses. Looking at the gobsmacked expressions of Harry and Ron, she smirked.

"Lightning-force glasses. Great for skimming through a lot of information," she explained before wincing painfully and looking disoriented. "Not so great for long-term use. I'm fine, don't worry," she said, placating both Harry and Ron's worried looks.

"So? How are Potter's preparations?" Daphne asked with a slightly disapproving look.

"They're not bad in all fairness but you really need to work on your handwriting," Tracey joked before giving him a serious look. "You should be fine, just remember to be cautious at all times. I'd recommend a Dangersense Potion but…"

It had seemed like a great idea beforehand when Tracey first brought up the ancient potion, though that plan was almost immediately shot down when they looked up the two month long brewing instructions. Stealing from Snape hadn't felt so appealing but the warning looks on Tracey and Daphne had dissuaded the boys from taking any foolish action.

"So that should be everything covered right?" Harry said slightly impatiently. He was antsy to get back to work on his spells, knowing that he still had a lot of work to do. Daphne smiled.

"Very well, show us what you can do."

* * *

 _Date: Saturday, June 24_ _th_ _1995_

 _Location: Great Hall_

The next two weeks seemed to pass in a flash as Harry and his friends worked tirelessly. Entering the chamber became a daily event, to the point where the quartet didn't even need to organise what time they needed to meet up and instead showed up once dinner had ended on weekdays and early in the morning on weekends.

The rest of the school perked back up and tensions rose to a new high as everyone was looking forward to the third task. The fervour only redoubled Harry's will and concentration to master his newly improved arsenal. Nervous as he was, Harry felt confident in his ability. After all, he had gone through so any challenges in the past three years of his life, most of them equally perilous. _"With so much time to prepare, it shouldn't be difficult…"_ he thought rather arrogantly until Daphne knocked him off his high horse with a swift **Stinging Jinx** and had reprimanded him on caution and vigilance.

Hermione too had reminded him to stay wary one time when they had been able to speak out of class. The girl had remained almost like a ghost (or even more prone to disappearing) as of late, which Harry had noted to her more than once. However, like with Hagrid's case, Hermione had simply shaken him off, saying that she was absolutely fine. Harry hadn't noticed anything strange and simply let his friend be.

Sirius had begun sending him daily letters about a week ago, encouraging him to only focus on the task ahead and essentially ignore everything else. The older man also hinted that he would be watching his godson, a comment that only made Harry more nervous if it were simply because he was afraid for his godfather.

Breakfast that morning was extremely noisy, though Harry hadn't minded. Daphne had insisted on him getting enough sleep for the past few nights rather than continuing to practise like he had wanted to. Her advice was sound and he felt far better prepared than he probably would have if he had followed his own opinion. With a small smile on his face, Harry quickly took a look at the other tables, trying to see what each champion was like. To his surprise, none of them could be found on the tables.

"Potter," came the stern voice of Professor McGonagall. Harry quickly turned around to face his head of house. "The champions are congregating in the chamber off the Great Hall after breakfast." Harry looked confused.

"But the task isn't until tonight, isn't it?" he answered questioningly.

"I'm aware of that, Potter,"" she answered. "The champions' families are invited to watch the final task, you know. This is simply a chance for you to greet them." Harry turned towards Ron with an owlish look as Professor McGonagall walked away.

"She doesn't expect the Dursleys to show up, does she?" Harry wondered out loud. Ron shrugged.

"Dunno mate but I better hurry. I've got History of Magic first," Ron said with an accompanying moan. Harry gave his friend a consoling pat on the back as the redhead quickly dashed off. Harry too got out of his seat and walked towards the chamber that McGonagall had indicated.

It was impossible that the Dursleys had shown up, not only because of their indifference towards him but also because of the magical wards on Hogwarts Castle which prevented anyone without a given amount of magic power to perceive the place, let alone enter it. With this thought, Harry began walking to the chamber, wondering who would be there to see him. He knew that he didn't have any close living relatives, that much was certain from his early life and the research that he and Daphne had done over the course of the year. So… He stopped in front of the chamber hall. A strange sense of foreboding seemed to emanated from the chamber's hall, as though warning him about something, or someone inside.

"Harry, come in! They're expecting you!" Cedric said, surprising Harry who had been deep in though. With nothing to lose, Harry walked in and saw four distinct groups of people. Krum was speaking with his parents in a rapid language that he could not understand, Bulgarian probably, while Cedric was already back to talking to his father who had given Harry a quick greeting as he walked past.

In the far corner, Fleur was speaking with her parents and sister which Harry recognized with a small pain in his chest from the second task. He had later learned that Fleur hadn't made it to her sister after she had been attacked by grindylows on the journey down. Harry knew he had made the logical choice of not trying to save Fleur's sister but it had continued to bother him that he had made such a choice. Strangely however, while deep in conversation, Harry noticed that Fleur was actually staring at the group of three in the other corner. Harry turned to look and saw Bill and Mrs Weasley… and a finely dressed wizard he couldn't recognise. Harry quickly walked to them.

"Surprise!" Mrs. Weasley said slightly weakly. Harry smiled and shook hands with Bill, who looked more guarded that he was last time they had met. Harry greeted the older boy back before he turned to the other man in the corner.

"Cyril Greengrass, a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

Harry had to control himself to refrain from dropping his jaw in surprise as he looked up at Daphne's father. The blonde hadn't spoken much about her father, only noting that he was ruthlessly powerful and shrewder than he (Harry) could imagine. What was said didn't really do the man justice.

Cyril was wearing what appeared to be very well made green and silver robes. A crest was visible on the left side of them, showing the Greengrass coat-of-arms that Daphne had shown him a few times. The man also sported a very well combed haircut, in sharp contrast to Bill's shaggy long hairdo. A silver ring with an emerald rested on his right hand.

However, as striking as his apparel was, Lord Greengrass's most conspicuous attribute was the subtle yet dangerous pressure that he seemed to be emanating. It was similar to Dumbledore's grandfatherly aura or (Harry remembered with a gulp) the extremely enraged energy that the same man had been producing during the Crouch incident. By the time Harry had finished looking at the man, he noticed that his hand was outstretched as a greeting. Harry paled and quickly shook his hand.

"Sor – I mean forgive me, Lord Greengrass. I am Harry James Potter, pleased to make your acquaintance," he said rushedly. To his relief, the Greengrass lord appeared to not take offence to his delay.

"Relax, _Harry_ ," he said. "Daphne has spoken a lot about you, it appears that her manners are rubbing off you in some way," he said. Harry could have sworn that the man changed his expression for a brief moment after he spoke but it happened far too quickly for Harry to correctly perceive it. The Weasleys had walked over and watched pensively at the interaction.

"So how did you get to know Harry, Lord Greengrass," Mrs. Weasley said with a hint of apprehension. Harry noticed that the woman had walked a few more steps over and stood slightly in front of Harry. Bill had mirrored his mother's stance and flanked Harry from the other side, almost as though they were physically trying to guard him. Lord Greengrass seemingly smiled.

"My daughter, Daphne, is currently in an amorous relationship with Harry here. While I have great faith in my daughter's choices, I do worry as a father. As such, I merely wanted to meet the boy who my daughter has taken a fancy in." Lord Greengrass's words flowed somewhat like a smooth river, giving a sense of calmness. However, both Mrs. Weasley and Bill remained guarded. By now, the other families had paused their own conversations and had begun to look over to see what the commotion was. As they stared intently at Lord Greengrass, Bill and Mrs. Weasley seemed to want to retort but they stayed their tongues. Finally, Lord Greengrass broke the silence.

"Now that I have met you, I suppose I will leave. Good luck to your endeavours, Harry, both to the task and beyond. _Nos Metere quod non Seruerimus._ " Harry's eyes widened as he recognized the words, a reaction taken note of by both Lord Greengrass and Mrs Weasley. The Greengrass Lord bid his farewell and quickly strode out of the now silent chamber, lifting the invisible pressure that he had been exerting on the air. It took a few moments before the other families continued their conversations. Before long, the only ones that hadn't spoken another word to one another was Harry and the Weasleys.

"Um… so…" Harry mumbled. The two Weasleys seemed to break out of a trace, snapping into focus as they heard the mumble and looked at Harry.

"I didn't believe it at first but…" Mrs. Weasley said softly. Harry blushed as he caught onto what she was referring to. Bill shot a look at his mother.

"Congratulations I guess, Harry," Bill said with some level of concern. His mother nodded gently and smiled. Harry bit his lip. He wanted to tell the people he had come to consider family the truth but could not risk it.

"Just know that we support you, Harry," Mrs. Weasley said caringly. Harry didn't really know how to respond to that and simply nodded. He turned to Bill, who had a stonier expression than his mother did. The curse-breaker looked around and dipped his head slightly so that his face was mere inches away from Harry's. Harry had to strain his ears to hear his whisper.

"Lord Greengrass is a dangerous man, Harry, remember that." Bill stood up straighter and put on a smile on his face. However, it was clear even to Harry that the older male was quite concerned, a fact that simply added to the mystery that was on Harry's mind. Why did Lord Greengrass come to see him now? Did Daphne know? Harry decided to push such thoughts away from his mind as he decided to lead both Mrs. Weasley and Bill around the school grounds, both to entertain them until lunch and to clear his head.

The three spent some time walking throughout the grounds of the castle wherein Mrs. Weasley and Bill both shared a few tales they had during their stay at Hogwarts. However, it was someone clear to Harry that their hearts were not completely into it, even when their conversation arrived at Percy. The third Weasley brother had been affected the most by the Crouch incident, having been put under numerous investigations over the past few months as Barty Crouch Senior's personal assistant. Though neither Mrs. Weasley nor Bill elaborated on it, Harry was sure that the uppity ex-Head Boy was not faring well.

Lunchtime was as noisy as breakfast was, a fact that Mrs. Weasley and Bill did not seem to mind. Ron had been very surprised when he joined the table a few minutes after the three had sat down. However, his surprise gave way to a small amount of fear as he noticed the look in his mother's eye.

"So how was the exam?" Bill asked, trying to abate the tense air that had arisen again.

"Not too bad. I remembered more of the goblin rebels' names than I thought I would," Ron replied as he helped himself to a Cornish Pasty. "Tracey helped with that part, told me to use mnemonics." Mrs Weasley blinked twice.

"Tracey?" she asked. Ron stopped eating and looked in horror as he realized the mistake he had just made. His mother loomed over him somewhat menacingly with a look that exclaimed the word 'EXPLAIN'. Ron shovelled the rest of his pasty into his mouth and quickly chewed to buy himself more time. However, his mother's look was relentless and persisted until he had finished, even after he had drunk a cup of water to help it go down.

"Tracey is…" Ron stammered "A friend…" His mother looked questioningly at her son.

"What kind of friend?" she asked suspiciously. Ron gave shot a pleading look at Harry, which was easily noticed by Mrs. Weasley who began wheeling around towards him. Harry blinked and was unsure of what to say as Mrs. Weasley turned to ask him. Apparently, someone else did.

"Tracey? Isn't that the girl we saw hanging around with Ronnikins a few months' back?" came the voice of Fred Weasley, who had just joined the table alongside George and Ginny. Mrs. Weasley quickly processed what she had just heard and rapidly turned back to her youngest son. Ron flashed a dangerous look at his twin brothers and sister, who had begun to snicker behind their mother's back.

"But what about Hermione!" blurted out Mrs. Weasley. Ron turned purple again, this time with mortified horror. Thankfully, his mother's words were drowned out by the extremely noisy background, though the few Gryffindors who heard snickered. Harry decided to help his friend out and spoke up.

"Tracey is just a friend," he said firmly, "and so is Hermione." Mrs. Weasley calmed down slightly. It appeared that she had not believed a word of Skeeter's slander, contrary to what Ron had grimly predicted when they had read through the article.

"Where is she?" Mrs. Weasley asked. Harry frowned.

"She's been going off somewhere a lot these past few weeks." Mrs. Weasley looked shocked.

"She hasn't been helping you with the tournament?!" she all but demanded. Harry and Ron shrugged.

"Greengrass and Tracey have it covered, Hermione said she had to help out Hagrid so she left it to them," Ron explained vaguely. Mrs. Weasley looked quite ruffled about the girl but decided to withhold her judgement.

"Are you sure you're alright, dear?" Mrs. Weasley asked worriedly. Harry quickly assured her that his preparations were more than adequate and the group went back to their normal conversation. After lunch, Harry took Bill and Mrs. Weasley around the inner areas of the castle before returning to the Great Hall for another feast. As expected, the two final judges for the third task had joined the table – the ever-cheerful Ludo Bagman and the curiously weary Cornelius Fudge, the latter of whom appeared to be joined by a pink robed witch who had given Harry a withering look when his look had lingered for too long.

Harry noticed that the air at the high table was remarkably tense, with Fudge eating as slowly as humanly possible while Bagman continued his inanely optimistic charade. He felt his nerves beginning to mount as well, though less than they were in the previous two tasks. However, that still prevented him from fully enjoying his meal. Soon after, Dumbledore stood up.

"Ladies and gentlemen, in five minutes' time, I will be asking you to make your way down to the Quidditch field for the third and final task of the Triwizard Tournament. Will the champions please follow Mr. Bagman down to the stadium now?"

Harry quickly got up and marched towards the front doors, glancing back at the applauding Gryffindors and smiling. Hermione was noticeably absent, though she had come down and gave him her blessing some time during dinner so Harry was fine with it. He quickly joined Cedric, Viktor and Fleur who were standing next to Bagman.

"Feeling alright, Harry?" he asked as Harry got close to him. Harry nodded and glanced back one final time. His eyes flew to the Slytherin table, where he easily spotted Daphne's signature blonde tresses next to Tracey's brown mop of hair. The blonde gave him an encouraging final nod coupled with one of her rare smiles, to which Harry responded in the same manner.

"Time to go!" said Bagman theatrically. The champions then quickly followed the bombastic man to the Quidditch field which (to Harry's horror) looked completely unrecognizable. The hedges were now fully grown, reaching up twenty, maybe thirty feet above Harry's head. A narrow gap was in the middle of the maze and Harry realized that was the entrance.

Within minutes, the stands around them filled with people. Harry spotted a few familiar faces including Weasleys, a waving Colin Creevey and his younger brother, to even Daphne's younger sister Astoria. As Harry turned away from the stands, he saw something in the shadow behind the Gryffindor stand. Curious, he looked for a few more moments and realize that there was a dark, quadrupedal figure in the shadow. The figure moved a few steps forward as Harry noticed its presence and with a gasp of surprise, Harry realized that it was his godfather Sirius. However, he had no time to react to this as Professor McGonagall had begun her instructions.

"We are going to be patrolling the outside of the maze," said Professor McGonagall to the champions. "If you get into difficulty, and wish to be rescued, send red sparks into the air, and one of us will come and get you, do you understand?" All four nodded in understanding and they began to fan out, spreading themselves around the maze. Harry too slipped into a state of concentration, ignoring what Bagman was saying as he waited for his signal. A few moments later, Bagman's whistle sounded Cedric took off into the maze, moving as fast as a bird in the air. About two minutes later, Bagman whistled again and Krum sped off.

"On my whistle now, Harry," Bagman said. Harry nodded and looked forward at the daunting maze in front of him. Once he heard the whistle, he quickly sped into the maze. Within moments, there was barely any light he could see.

" **Ensiformus,"** he muttered. While he had successfully cast the **Lion's Light** charm a few times now, the spell drained his concentration too much for him to use effectively. As such, using the spell he had used in the second task seemed to be the best option as it both provided a utility and offensive options for him. After a few long strides, Harry reached a fork in the path. Harry put his wand in front of him, clearly illuminating the two roads ahead of him. From the wider gap on the right side, he concluded that at least one of the other champions had headed that way and decided to take the same path. If anything, it would mean that the enemies in that way would be less numerous since the previous champion had already gone through them.

A few more strides later, Harry heard the whistle one last time. Fleur had begun. Knowing this Harry, picked up his speed and soon found himself in another intersection. This time, neither side seemed to be wider than the other. After a moment of contemplation, Harry allowed his blade to recede.

" **Vestigo Polaris,"** he murmured as he placed his wand on the centre of his right hand. The wand levitated itself and spun clockwise twice before pointing its tip at the direction of north, a few degrees east of Harry's face. With this information, Harry began to think. From his many years of playing Quidditch, he knew that the size of the pitch (and thus the maze) was in the shape of an elongated oval about 150m by 55m. Since they had entered from the wider side, Harry quickly deduced that he was a bit more off that he had intended to go. Shrugging, Harry quickly picked the left path and continued to jog.

As Harry continued to move, he began to feel a strange feeling that he was being watched. No, not by the overhead rune that was tracking his movements for the crowd but another being watching him from the shadows. Frowning, he quickly stopped and reactivated the sword-forming charm. Waving his wand around to illuminate his surroundings, Harry quickly noticed something peculiar. While most of the area was brightly lit by the extreme light, one particular area appeared to be unaffected, casting a strange shadow on the hedge. Harry walked over a thrust his wand-sword at the hedge where the shadow lay.

To his surprise, the 'shadow' screeched in pain and immediately began to move. With some difficulty, Harry was able to see the vague darkness that made up the shadow as it darted across the floor at a surprisingly fast rate. However, Harry's vision was not fast enough as the 'shadow' quickly slipped behind him. Harry reflexively lunged forward but still felt a sharp pain on his back. The being he was fighting had just cut through his robes. Thankfully, the wound was minor.

Harry quickly turned around to face his adversary and his brow furrowed. He was looking at what appeared to be a levitating sword and shield, bound together by a wisp of energy. This creature was not explicitly stated in his studies but Harry had a hunch that he was facing some type of wraith or spirit whom could possess metallic objects. Without any warning, Harry's enemy made a horrid, metallic sound which buffeted Harry, forcing him out of his thoughts. The sound was painful to the ears, to the point where Harry almost crouched in pain. It was at this moment when the creature struck once more.

With surprising speed, the figure dashed into the ground again, appearing as a shadow as it jettisoned towards Harry. Now knowing how the creature attacked, Harry quickly leapt forward, diving away from the being that attempted to slice at where he was last. A strange sound came from the seemingly frustrated creature and Harry decided to attack.

" **Ensiformus!"** he recast, bringing his blade back to its full length as Harry lunged at his opponent. However, the creature quickly reacted, bringing the 'shield' portion of itself to guard against Harry's attack. A screeching sound could be heard from the creature as it cried out when Harry's fiery blade struck it in the centre of the shield. However, this did not appear to deter it as it quickly removed the shield and went back on the offensive, this time flinging itself towards Harry similar to a thrusting motion, Harry quickly rolled forward, sidestepping the living blade-creature and causing it to once again screech.

Harry smiled at being able to outwit the creature but then quickly began to frown when he saw the creature move. It put the shield part of itself facing away from Harry and seemingly froze midair for a moment. Then it struck, flinging itself towards Harry in an arc. Harry was ready to dodge it once again but felt a strange sense of danger warning him otherwise. So, instead of dodging in the same fashion, Harry jumped back using the **Banishing Charm** on himself and the creature, forcing them apart. He quickly looked up and almost gasped in shock.

The creature had seemingly split in three, with two mirroring each other swinging themselves sideways while the third arced down from above. Harry watched as the three blades completed their strike, causing a large volume of dust to form from the third blade's strike to the ground.

Harry quickly blew the dust away using a **Gusting Charm** and looked in shock at the results. The original path where he had encountered the dangerous creature seemed to have three large cleaves in it, one on each side of the hedge and a rather large gash on the floor.

The creature itself seemed to be disoriented after executing its failed attack. Harry quickly shook his head. This was no time to be impressed and quickly wondered what he could do against the creature. It appeared that fire had some effect on it, though Harry was at a loss as how to conjure up a large enough amount of fire, not to mention how it would give his position away to the other three champions. With no other option immediately available to him, Harry drew his wand once more. Focusing on one of his happiest memories, the memory of his first meeting with Ron and Hermione as he shouted.

" **Expecto Patronum!"** The magnificent figure of Prongs was summoned, galloping forward at the immobile sword creature and spearing it in its vulnerable blade. With a final cry of pain, the wraith vanished in a puff of smoke, leaving the sword and shield behind. Harry cautiously directed his summon to prod the sword and shield, which were seemingly immobile. However, Harry didn't want to take any chances.

" **Reducto!"** he said firmly. A flash of light came from his wand, reducing the finely crafted blade into ash. Harry tried to do the same to the shield but was unsurprised when he saw it fail. However, Harry ignored it and quickly went back on his path. He had spent far too much time combatting that strange enemy and wanted to pick up his slack.

Harry raced along the dark passage with only his wand to guide him. He quickly made a few turns left and right, bringing him into a spiral towards the middle of the maze where the cup was placed. On one path, Harry smelled a very distinct odour of burning rotten fish, the clear sign of Hagrid's signature Blast-ended Skrewts. Harry quickly avoided that path, saying a silent (and grudging) thank you to Hagrid for allowing him so much exposure to the foul tempered creatures.

Before long, Harry began to feel something strange once more. It had been too long since he had encountered something. It almost felt as though he had missed something. Perhaps a champion had wandered through here not too long ago and set off whatever traps were here? Harry began to slow down unconsciously as he tried to analyse the situation.

Suddenly, he felt a whoosh of air coming at him and he quickly dodged out of the way A bright red light went through the spot he had just been standing, crashing onto the hedge behind it. Harry heard a large crash somewhere behind him coming from the opposite direction where the spell had hit. He quickly turned to look at who had attempted to stun him, seeing a mildly irritated Fleur.

"Not bad, leetle boy," she said slightly mockingly "You aren't just talk." Harry frowned and readied his wand. The girl in front of him did the same.

" **Expelliarmus!"** he yelled, hoping to catch her off guard. The blonde smirked and easily moved away from the curse.

"Foolish!" she said arrogantly, "Disarming moi? So many spells, such a bad decision!" Harry gritted his teeth. This girl was beginning to irk him. Behind him, another loud crash happened, causing Harry to momentarily lose focus. It was then when Fleur went on the offensive. She closed her eyes briefly and moved into a simple dance. Harry looked back and found himself spellbound by the girl's movements. He almost dropped his wand in surprise, barely gripping onto it as he saw the girl stop moving and pointing her wand at him.

"Au revoir," she said calmly. Her expression quickly turned stone cold as she incanted.

" **Incussus."**

Harry felt as though he had been hit by a train as he sailed quite a long distance painfully into the prickly titanweed hedge, collapsing onto the floor in pain. Fleur walked up a few steps and grinned.

"You landed in a rune field," she said pointing at a strange symbol which Harry couldn't recognise. "For your sake, I suggest you don't leave the area." The blonde veela chuckled and sprinted off. Another loud blast came from the area behind where Harry had been as the boy stamped the floor in irritation at himself for being distracted twice in the span of a single battle. As condescending as she was, Fleur was right, he was still inexperienced.

Harry quickly looked up again as he saw a large fulmination light up the sky from the site of the previous explosions and crashes. Due to being struck by Fleur's spell, he had moved slightly closer to the battle and, if he strained his hearing, could hear both Cedric and Viktor's faint voices duelling each other. Harry shook his head. He could not afford to be distracted.

From the very little knowledge on runes he had gleaned from his conversations with Hermione and Daphne over these two years, he knew that runic arts were incredibly precise and required this to produce the correct effects. Harry looked at the rune Fleur had pointed at. It was shaped like a four-pointed star with a line going through the middle. Harry frowned. He did his best to remember the spell Hermione and Daphne had used a few times to detect magic.

"Cantana Aparacium? … no wait was it Cantamum Aparecium?" Harry muttered. He could almost feel Daphne's deadpan stare on him as he struggled to remember the name of the charm. "Erm… Cantamem Aparecium?" A flash of light gently illuminated area, hitting the rune and dissipating. Harry blinked twice and cursed, quickly jumping out of the 'field' and rushing off where Fleur had gone. The 'rune' was fake and he had fallen for it.

The battle that he assumed was being fought by Cedric and Viktor seemed to increase in ferocity as Harry moved closer to them. Spells that Harry had never heard of from the Bulgarian Seeker clashed with more familiar but equally potent hexes and curses from Cedric. A few shards of metal, a bunch of uprooted plants and the remains of something horribly burnt littered the passage that Harry was taking, suggesting that the battle had raged on right where he stood. A few steps away, Harry could see a rapidly flashing lights coming from the next corner. Harry stuck himself on the corner, hoping that a stray or deflected spell wouldn't strike him as he peeked at the battle.

The area ahead was a much wider passage than the ones that Harry had seen in the maze. A few meters away on the other side of the conflict, a large cat like creature watched the battle with interest. Harry quickly recognised the creature as a sphinx but knew he wouldn't be able to pass without the notice of either Cedric or Viktor and so he turned back to the fight.

Viktor had a set of rocks conjured around him which he appeared to use for blocking Cedric's spells while also providing a good offensive threat as he hurled the boulders at the Hufflepuff in between each trade of spells. Cedric appeared to be weaving left and right between the rocks, sending various spells at his adversary between as he dodged. As evenly matched as they seemed, Cedric was clearly losing stamina faster than Viktor and his movements became noticeably slower as Harry watched.

" **Bombarda Maxima!"** Cedric yelled, destroying most of the rocks that Viktor had moved to defend himself with. It seemed like a last ditch effort on Cedric's part to break down Krum's defences. Krum them moved the few big pieces of his arsenal towards Cedric, accelerating them using a silent charm. Cedric's eyes seemed to widen as quickly executed a series of nimble jumps to evade the deadly projectiles. Harry silently cheered on his fellow Hogwarts student.

Viktor seemed to be somewhat irritated that his attack had not succeeded. However, he was undeterred and continued his assault by suddenly slashing his wand towards Cedric. Cedric quickly conjured up a sheet of black metal to guard against the purple flame that headed in his direction. His shield stood and the unknown curse was nullified, though there was a massive gash on the once pristine sheet.

Taking the moment to counterattack, Cedric seemingly melted the remains of his barrier and sent a large portion of it towards Viktor. The man responded by muttering something Harry couldn't hear towards the gap between the two champions. A large circle came into being right as Cedric's attack was passing over it. The metal seemed to slow down tremendously as it attempted to move over the circle of magical energy that Viktor had made. A few seconds later, the metal clanked onto the ground and was pulled to the centre of the magic field. Viktor smirked at Cedric, who's frown was becoming apparent.

" **Tunde Titanus!"** he shouted. Viktor showed surprise as the metal block on the floor shot towards him again. Cedric seemed to be unable to stop himself from getting knocked back by his own spell, sending him to the floor. Viktor frowned pointed his wand at the floor, sending himself rocketing upwards. Harry was slightly surprised (and honoured) when he recognised that manoeuvre. Viktor landed on the metal block with some force and looked directly at Cedric, who had just picked himself up

"You ver good fight," Viktor said to Cedric. "Better than my fellow students," Cedric smiled despite his obvious tiredness. It was clear that he was on his last legs. Viktor saw this and pointed his wand at the sky. And, for the first time since Harry had arrived, Viktor Krum uttered the incantation of a spell.

" **Ryuseigun."**

What appeared to be an orange firecracker shot into the air. Harry looked up and watched the light explode midair, causing a shower of orange light to rain down on the area around them. With a jolt of surprise, Harry's jaw almost dropped in shock as he recalled this attack. Somehow, Viktor had learned to mimic the Chinese Fireball's final attack against him.

Cedric's eyes had widened considerably as he watched the balls of energy rain down upon him. He raised his wand and casted a shield that Harry recognized, the **Barrier Charm**. However, it seemed that Cedric's shield either failed or was unable to fully materialize as the rocks smashed through the flimsy shield in an instant.

The rocks impacted the area around Cedric, causing another spray of dust and soil. When the smoke cleared, it was apparent to Harry that Cedric was out of the contest. Viktor quickly crossed the battlefield and checked his adversary's pulse. Viktor seemed to be satisfied by what he found and sent a shower of red sparks into the air.

Without another word, the older man quickly turned and began slowly walking towards the sphinx, limping slightly from his earlier battle. Harry breathed a sigh of relief but then wondered what to do next. Cedric appeared to be alive so Harry didn't need to worry. However, how was he going to deal with Viktor. And where was Fleur? Harry didn't need to wait long for that last question to be answered.

" **Fleuve d'étoiles!"**

Harry didn't have any time to move before he was slammed into the prickly hedge on the other side of where he was hiding by a massive wave brightly sparkling water. He quickly cast a **Seize-and-Pull Charm** onto the hedge thus anchoring himself as the deluge swept through, doing his best to not scream as he felt his left side getting shredded by the prickly hedge. Harry began to feel his strength draining and could barely see due to the intense light that the water emitted but still attempted to look into the water.

Cedric's body was waterborne and appeared to be at risk of being swept away. Harry gritted his teeth. This was not like the second task. Cedric could actually die if Harry didn't help him. And thus, Harry retracted the rope and instead anchored Cedric to himself as they were carried a short distance by the rushing water. The flood soon died down as the caster had ceased to power the spell.

Harry panted as he felt himself on the floor and picked himself up. He too checked Cedric's pulse and was happy to find it, even if it was a little faint. Waterlogged and worn out, Harry slowly picked himself off the floor, cradling his bleeding left arm and set Cedric onto the side of the hedge before sending off another shower of red sparks into the air to signal the teachers to reclaim Cedric. With this, he slowly walked towards the area where Viktor and Cedric had battled only minutes' prior.

As Harry hobbled into the passage, he immediately noticed Viktor's unconscious body in the middle of the path. It was clear that he had been blindsided by the unexpected torrent that Fleur had created. A little of the shimmering water still remained around Viktor and thus Harry deduced that Fleur was directly aiming at the international Quidditch star. For a moment, he wondered with an amount of awe at how Fleur would have been able to cast such a spell and resolved to ask Daphne about it later.

He continued on his way through the passage and noticed how it continued to narrow until only a small opening between the bushes was all that remained of the passage. Harry walked until he was stopped by the sphinx that he had seen briefly. The large beast looked far less regal and imposing than he had imagined, though the fact that it was dripping wet and looking miserable may have taken away from its powerful aura. Harry cleared his voice and spoke.

"Your riddle please, puzzle-mistress," he asked as calmly as he could. The sphinx gave him a look of surprise but tilted her head in response.

"Few humans treat my kind with respect. How quaint." The sphinx laughed lightly, as though she had made an inside joke to herself. Harry tried to show an expressionless visage but found himself too tired. The sphinx looked back at him.

"The quickest way, as you have deduced, is through this passage. Answer my riddle correctly and you may pass. Answer wrongly and I shall attack. Stay silent and you shall walk away unharmed." Harry nodded, having learnt this during his preparation for the tournament.

"I shall answer," Harry said with as much confidence he could muster, hoping that his weariness would not impair his ability to answer the riddle. The sphinx smiled.

"Your valour is admirable, even in your pitiful state. Fear not, you are almost at the end," she remarked. "The riddle... or rather, this question is as follows." The large feline perched herself on her hind legs.

"What do all stories have in common?"

Harry paused and began to think. The question was quite vague, especially for a riddle given by a sphinx. Harry began to look around, hoping that he would be able to find a clue somewhere that might help him with his riddle.

"Can I speak without answering?" he asked, trying to sound formal. The sphinx tilted it's head gently before nodding .

"The answer is simpler than you would expect. You are close, young human," the sphinx said. Harry frowned slightly. The sphinx was more talkative than he had expected. He quickly glanced at the feline, who was watching him intently. Her long almond eyes seemed to pierce into him, causing Harry to feel slightly inadequate. Maybe he really was overthinking it?

"I am close?" he wondered aloud. The sphinx seemed to smirk, it's grin elongating into a very Cheshire Cat-esque manner. Harry blinked. What was he close to? He hadn't even said anything yet…

"Oh wait!" Harry said after a moment. The sphinx had laid down on her paws and now cat straight up, moving into a position that allow her to view the entirety of Harry's body. The boy gulped. It was do or die now.

"All stories reach an end," Harry said as confidently as possible. His wand was half drawn right now, ready to banish the sphinx were it to attack at a moment's notice. Fortunately for him, the sphinx smiled instead.

"Correct. Proceed." The sphinx walked to the side of the path, allowing Harry to pass through. He nodded thankfully at the beast who had already moved back to her original position guarding the path. With nothing else to lose, Harry quickly continued on his way.

After a few seconds, Harry used the **Compass Charm** once more, pointing towards the right path. Harry picked up his pace slightly. If his intuition was correct, the cup should be right in front of him. All he had to do was get past whatever else was in his way, be it Fleur or some other beast that was lurking around him.

From the corner of his eye, he saw a large shadow appear. Harry's eyes widened. There were not many monsters that were this big and Harry knew that it couldn't be good. He broke into a run, finding that the creature was easily keeping up with him and even getting closer, and closer. With a terrifying screech, an acromantula jumped out from the hedge, lunging at Harry. Thinking quickly, Harry pointed his wand at the beast.

" **Ensiformus!"**

The spell activated just as the giant spider was about to sink its venom-filled pincers into Harry. Harry watched as his blade burst through the spider's body. The spider tried to scream but failed and dropped down once Harry released the charm. Harry was panting deeply from the adrenaline coursing through his system that was now wearing off. He took one last look at the unmoving spider and continued his way to his destination.

After a few more meters of limping, Harry made it out to a clearing. Unfortunately, instead of the glimmering Triwizard Cup awaiting him, Ludo Bagman greeted him instead. Strangely, the man seemed much less excited than usual when he saw Harry. However, the man put on a façade almost instantly as Harry got within a few steps of him.

"Harry! You're here!" he said in a faux happy voice "Unfortunately, Ms Delacour has already taken the cup but you came in second!" Harry smiled slightly despite himself. It had just dawned on him that he had just finished the final task of the Triwizard tournament, that he, a fourteen-year-old had survived a challenge that many others before him had not. He may not have won, but survival itself was something he was proud of.

"How do I leave the maze?" Harry asked wearily. Bagman had him a cheesy smile.

"Just take my hand and I'll apparate us out of here," he replied. Harry was too weary and injured to ask about anything else and simply took the man's outstretched hand. A sudden warping sensation filled his vision and Harry found himself tumbling dizzily through a vortex. He landed somewhere but was too disoriented to figure out where he was.

"Harry!" called someone. The boy shook his head gently but found that it only worsened his dizziness. Instead, the person who called him pushed him gently downwards, allowing him to lay down on the soft grass floor.

"Harry, you alright?" asked a concerned Ron. Harry smiled weakly at his best friend, barely able to make out the red hair his family was so famous for.

"'m fine," Harry muttered in response. Apparently, that was not enough for another redheaded person who had just walked into Harry's view.

"Oh Morgana! What happened to your arm and leg?" shouted an anguished Mrs. Weasley, "Hermione, call Madam Pomfrey!" A bustling mass of brown hair moved away from him and Harry smiled. So Hermione had come as well. He tried to look around for Daphne's blonde hair but found himself feeling far drowsier than he had been a few moments ago.

"Get some rest, Potter," called the voice of the Hogwarts Matron, "You will be awoken when the points ceremony begins. Harry couldn't even muster the energy to nod and simply allowed slumber to take over him. Right before his eyes closed, a flash of golden hair entered his view but by then, Harry had already fallen asleep.

* * *

After what felt like seconds, Harry found himself awake. His whole body ached and it seemed that his arm had been mummified considering it's completely bandaged state. He tried to sit up and almost succeeded but found himself falling over. Luckily, someone caught him before he hit his head onto the floor.

"Don't give yourself brain damage, Potter," came the cool tone of Daphne Greengrass. Harry couldn't help but smile as he adjusted his posture enough to keep himself sitting upright. He looked up to the standing girl.

"How did I do?" he asked, his voice slightly coarser than expected.

"Better than expected, worse than you should have," came the succinct reply. Daphne moved her mouth closer to his ear and whispered "Cantana Aparacium? Really?" Harry reddened slightly.

"Where are the others?" Daphne shrugged.

"Diggory just got pulled out of the maze. He's in bad shape but he's lucky you found him before, say, an acromantula did. Krum came out about ten minutes after you did. You already know that Delacour beat you out of the maze," she replied, counting off the names one by one. Harry continued to look at her, causing her to ask. "What?" Harry gestured to the floor and Daphne's eyes narrowed and looked away.

"Why not?" Harry asked. Daphne looked offended.

"Sitting on the grass? Here? With so many people watching?" she asked. Harry nodded. Daphne looked around and sighed before doing as he asked. Harry blinked in surprise.

"I thought you would put up more of a fight," Harry admitted.

"You've been in enough fights today, Potter," she replied coolly. Harry laughed.

"Yeah." The two didn't speak further and Harry looked around. He found inside some sort of make-shift tent, probably set up by Madam Pomfrey given by the medical equipment that was around him.

"Mr. Potter, are you awake?" Harry smiled as he heard Professor McGonagall's voice

"Yeah." The professor walked in. Though her facial expression was neutral, her eyes betrayed the immense pride that she felt. Harry's smile widened slightly, happy that he had made her proud.

"Come now, the ceremony is starting. Miss Greengrass may accompany you there if you are unable to walk properly." Harry nodded. Without another word, Professor McGonagall exited the tent and awaited her charge. Harry turned and looked at Daphne. The girl deadpanned at him but held out her arm anyways. Harry blinked in surprise.

"Who're you and what have you done with Daphne Greengrass?" he joked. Daphne raised an eyebrow.

"Just because I' m strict doesn't mean that I won't help you when you need it," she said "even if you don't actually require my assistance," she finished muttering. Harry smirked and got the blonde to help him off the bed and out of the tent. Professor McGonagall nodded at him and lead the way.

As they walked, the crowd gathered, cheering as he walked up to the place where the five judges were sat. Surprisingly to Harry, there were a couple of green ties in the Hogwarts crowd amongst the many reds and few blues and yellows that had come to greet him. Before long, Harry had made it to the stage and quickly walked up to his seat next to Cedric. After making sure that he was fine, Daphne looked at him.

"I assume my assistance is no longer required?" Daphne asked. Harry smiled and nodded.

"See you later, Daphne," he said.

"To you as well. Oh, and remember what I advised."

Daphne quickly walked off and re-joined the crowd.

"Nice girl you've got there!" came Cedric's voice. Harry turned and looked at the Hufflepuff champion. The usually perfect-looking boy was quite tousled up, with quite a lot of mending wounds spotted across his body and face. However, he still grinned at Harry, to which Harry returned the gesture. Harry then looked across and saw a sullen Viktor and victorious Fleur, the latter of whom looked quite proud of herself.

"Congratulations Ms Delacour, for winning the third task" Harry said slightly formally. The girl seemed a little happier, though her arrogant air simply increased. Harry turned to Viktor.

"I watched your duel with Cedric, you were amazing," Harry complimented. Viktor grunted.

"I know." The four champions did not have to wait long before the voice of Ludo Bagman boomed through the night once again.

"Apologies for the delay, ladies and gentlemen!" he said. Harry noticed that he was far less enthused than usual and remembered how the man had looked right after he had finished the task.

"We will now announce the final point allocations for each champion, as well as present the winner of the seventy-second Triwizard tournament!" The crowd cheered and every person looked towards the presenter as he continued.

"Fleur Delacour, the first to reach the goal at the center of the maze, demonstrated extreme tactical ability and versatility in her abilities during the course of the task, including the mastery of the infamous **River of Stars Spell**. For these achievements, we award her fifty points."

Everyone cheered, the Beauxbatons crowd loudest of all. Fleur appeared happy with her achievement but those who looked could see that she was quite disappointed in her previous failures. It would take a miracle for her to make up for the extreme deficit that she had. Bagman continued.

"Harry Potter, the second to reach the goal, demonstrated effective use of various charms and physical ability, as well as a level of tactical awareness and quick-wittedness. For this, our judges have awarded him thirty-five points.!"

Another round of cheering and Harry smiled at his achievement. Fleur's heart seemed to sink but she too clapped along politely. Harry took a quick glance at Dumbledore, who 'eye-twinkled' at him. When the clapping died down, Bagman continued his speech.

"Viktor Krum, third to reach the goal, was able to prove his immense duelling expertise and experience throughout the entire challenge, as well as the ability to adapt and add different things he has observed into his unique style of fighting. Because of this, our judges have awarded him forty-five points."

More cheering took place, this time seemingly even louder than before. Viktor seemed happy with his result, though Karkaroff evidently didn't think so as he flashed a dangerous glare at his star student. Viktor's expression didn't change, though it was clear that he was content with his results.

"Lastly, Cedric Diggory, the only contestant that was unable to complete the task." Harry looked shocked and looked at Cedric who gave him a cheesy but weary grin as Bagman continued. "However, he too demonstrated great skill during the task. Because of this, We award him thirty-two points."

The crowd was silent for a moment before it started clapping respectfully. Cedric tried to retain his happy expression but it failed somewhat. Harry tapped his shoulder to comfort him but the boy shook his head.

"Hey, it's alright. I did the best I could," Cedric said warmly. Harry looked deeper but found no malice or hidden intent in Cedric's words. Though troubled, Harry nodded but remained next to his friend.

"And now, we present the final standings for the seventy-second Triwizard tournament!" A strange sound accompanied Bagman's words, one which Harry assumed to be the magical equivalent of a 'drumroll'.

"In third place, with one hundred and nine points, Harry Potter, of Hogwarts!" Harry blinked and quickly stood up. Harry walked a few steps, hoping to every deity that he would not accidentally trip over and embarrass himself in front of three schools. He nervously bowed and the crowd cheered again.

"In second place, with one hundred and seventeen points, Cedric Diggory of Hogwarts!" Cedric smiled but didn't stand up. Harry noticed that his legs were even more heavily bandaged that his arms, they had probably been crushed by Viktor's final attack. Harry noted that the Durmstrang crowd seemed awfully excited and knew why.

"And now, in first place, with one hundred and twenty-one points, the Seventy-Second Triwizard Champion, Mr. Viktor Krum of Durmstrang!" The crowd below them exploded into a massive cheer as Durmstrang banners unfurled behind them on the stage. Krum seemed momentarily stunned, a very strange expression to see on the usually expressionless man. He walked up stiffly and bowed as Harry did a few moments ago. Harry too joined in the clapping.

"Now then, Professor Dumbledore has a few words to say to everyone, so please listen," Bagman said. Harry looked over to his headmaster and was surprised to see the wizened man blink. Harry's eyes narrowed and continued to watch as Bagman walked off the stage. Dumbledore began speaking but Harry ignored him in favour of watching Bagman quickly walk down the steps. Bagman looked back once and quickly began sprinting towards the Forbidden Forest. Harry stood up.

"Wait!" Although everyone heard him, it seemed as though it were too late as Ludo Bagman had already left his eyesight. If he were moving quickly, Bagman would reach the forest edge in a matter of minutes, then no-one would be able to catch him. Suddenly, a red flash came from somewhere on the side of the crowd. It sailed in the direction Bagman was heading and disappeared into the night. No-one spoke a word before the man who shot the spell spoke out.

"Took me fifteen goddamn years to catch that sleazeball but I finally got 'im," growled Alastor Moody. The ex-auror had already begun to walk over to where the stunned Bagman lay. "Carry on, Albus, I'll only be a minute."

Dumbledore seemed to chuckle and continued his speech. Harry however continued ignore the speech as he collapsed back into his chair. It had been a very tiring day and despite the short reprieve he had a short while ago, Harry still felt extremely tired. Try as he might, he could barely keep his eyes open and soon unsuspectingly dozed off on stage.

* * *

 _Location: Himalaya Mountain Range, Tibet_

Unlike in the west where dragons and humans have primarily antagonistic relationship, the humans and dragons in the east generally live in harmony. This is exemplified in the sub-zero climate upon these mountains, where humans require dragons to provide warmth in the coldest of times while dragons depend on humans to bring them food to eat. Sometimes, the best way to bring species together is through the need to survive.

Lord Shao-Lao, one of the Dragon 'Kings' (if dragons were bothered with such titles) was eating a wild boar when he felt a distinct presence near the 'temple' that had been constructed for him to live in. He made an irritated sound, sending a thin golden flare at the entrance of the cave. A human-sized being was standing there, though unlike any normal human at this climate, this person did not appear to be wearing much. And thus, despite his many millennia of life, Shao-Lao easily recognized his visitor.

"Back again so soon?" he thundered at the visitor. The being known by some as Thunderer calmly walked down to greet the immense dragon. Like most Chinese Fireballs, Shao-Lao had smooth crimson scales that covered most of his body. Golden spikes protruded from the edge of his face, forming a sort of crown. However, what was most impressive of all was his sheer size. While most dragons of his species weighed from about two to four tons, the sheer amount of time that Shao Lao had lived granted him an impressive weight of nine tons and a wingspan more than double his kins'.

"Before you ask, your granddaughter is doing well," rumbled Thunderer. A fiery snort came from Shao Lao.

"Were I in need of worrying about young drakes I would be long gone," muttered the giant behemoth. Thunderer grinned.

"And you were the one who wanted to forbid her from leaving China. Not the humans who were doing the exchange but you," replied the man glibly. A grunt replied him but the immense dragon.

"I know how vile those western humans have been to my kin," he growled, opening his massive jaw and torching the side of the wall in irritation. Thunderer bowed his head in respect and waited for the inferno to dissipate before replying.

"Many yes, but not all humans, nor dragons are alike," Thunderer replied swiftly. The dragon snarled.

"You must know from experience, given you still carry that twig," Thunderer raised a non-existent eyebrow but ignored it as Shao-Lao continued.

"What brings you to this miserable corner of the planet? Is it about that human who was sent here three moon-cycles ago?" Thunderer shook his head.

"The Fates sent me," he replied and Shao-Lao laughed out loud, causing a haunting, grating sound to come from his great maw.

"You must really enjoy running errands!" he said, still chuckling much to Thunderer's annoyance. "And what is it this time?"

"The future has changed."

Shao-Lao stopped his mirthful chuckling and bobbed his head down once.

"The human mystics have reported something similar, though their knowledge of the mystic-temporal arts is so painfully miniscule it almost made me wish that the age before the war returned to us," he said gruffly. Thunderer could not help but agree.

"A great evil was to be reborn on this day."

"Not as great as the _enslaver_ , I hope."

"Far lesser, thankfully." The dragon bobbed his head again but made a low grumbling sound.

"That may be, but we both know that _time_ is a fickle thing," he commented, "For if one thing is prevented, another inevitably takes its place, far greater and powerful than the original." Thunderer nodded resolutely.

"Then let us hope that we can mitigate whatever is on the horizon," Thunderer said resolutely. The dragon snorted.

"Naïve brat." Thunderer chose not to retort.

"I have to head further east to Huaguo Mountain to inform Wu, just in case" he said walking away from the colossal dragon. Shao-Lao grunted.

"Greet the monkey for me as well, remind him that he took my blade." Thunderer nodded and bowed.

"Until next, Lord Shao-Lao."

"And to you as well, wielder of _lightning_." With a flash of orange lightning, Thunderer had left the mountain.

* * *

 _Spells Used/Mentioned:_

 _Tunde Titanus – Blowback Hex_

 _Impedimenta – Impediment Jinx_

 _Depulso – Banishing Charm_

 _Everte Statum – Shock Curse_

 _Aculeatum – Stinging Hex_

 _Ensiformus – Sword-Forming Charm_

 _Vestigo Polaris – Compass Charm_

 _Depulso – Banishing Charm_

 _Ventus – Gusting Charm_

 _Reducto – Reductor Curse_

 _Expelliarmus – Disarming Charm_

 _Incussus – Impact Curse_

 _Ryuseigun – Meteor-Shower Spell_

 _Fleuve d'étoiles – River of Stars Spell_

 _Carpe Retractum – Seize-and-Pull Charm_


	27. Chapter 27 - The End of the Beginning

" _Text"_ – Thoughts

" **Text"** – Spellcast

" _Text"_ – Non-English Words

 _Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, JK Rowling does_

 _ **Chapter 27 – The End of the Beginning**_

* * *

 _Date: Monday, 26_ _th_ _June 1995_

 _Location: Great Hall_

Harry awoke quite early on the morning after the last day of school. Most people were still asleep after the extremely extravagant end-of-term feast on the previous night, as well as the various after-parties that were staged in many places around the school, the biggest of course being the _second_ party held inside the Durmstrang ship _Skidbladnir_. Harry had been lucky enough to slip away and get a good night's sleep while most of Gryffindor house continued to party until Merlin knew when. Because of this, both breakfast and the departure time for the Hogwarts Express were delayed by an hour to accommodate the students.

Harry had been sitting virtually alone on the Gryffindor table. Many students from other houses, including a few Slytherins, had come and greeted him and congratulated him on getting through the tournament. The Hufflepuffs seemed far warmer than they had been these past few months, a welcome change in Harry's book. However, he felt slightly lonely, given that far more people were talking with Cedric about his battle with Krum. Harry was happy for his older friend but almost wished that he could share a larger part of the spotlight. Almost.

"You're looking worse for wear," commented a voice form behind him. Harry inclined his head slightly and saw the neutral face of Daphne Greengrass staring back at him.

"Sorry for not escorting you, didn't know if you were up or not," Harry apologised. Daphne waved it away.

"Where's Weasley?" she asked. Harry's lips upturned slightly.

"Ron forgot to finish packing last night, had too long a conversation with Lavender Brown or something. Either way, he'll have to hurry if he wants to make it to the train." Daphne tutted.

"Fancy a walk?" she asked. Harry looked confused for a moment but shrugged it off. Daphne probably had something to talk to him about in private. He quickly finished the toast on his plate and stood up.

"Lead the way."

The two slowly made their way out into the grounds of the castle. The massive horse carriages that housed the Beauxbatons students and the massive Durmstrang ship were still present outside their castle and a few of the students were walking about or swimming in the Black Lake.

"Apparently, there was a bit of an uproar last night when Krum snuck out of party last night," Daphne commented offhandedly as they passed the massive Galleon. Harry turned to her with surprise.

"He did? Wait… how did you know?" Daphne pulled out an article from _Witch Weekly_.

"Skeeter wrote about it in this article," she replied, passing it to Harry, who quickly parsed through the words, a frown growing on his face as he got to the end.

"How did she get some of this stuff? Surely she must have made some of it up!" Harry asked with a note of frustration, remembering the first article the sensationalist had written about him before the first task. This piece was another in the list of articles Skeeter had written against Hermione and much to Harry's chagrin, he had no idea how he could help his friend. Daphne shrugged.

"Despite her less than transparent style of writing," Daphne said with disgust, "Skeeter never outright reports something that is completely false. She must have somehow gotten access to the information one way or another. That _woman_ is known for being able to do so, that being the reason why she is still hired despite how many people loathe her writing." Harry frowned but continued to walk.

"I wonder what's her secret," Harry wondered out loud.

"Your guess is as good as mine," Daphne replied before pulling out a copy of the Daily Prophet. "By the way, you might be interested in this."

Harry gave the blonde a curious look as he took the paper.

"Bagman Bagged! Oh! I was wondering what happened to him."

Harry quickly read through the article, chuckling slightly as he went along before his expression grew grimmer and grimmer before it completely changed into one of shock. Daphne easily read his emotions.

"Unsurprisingly, that man had been taking part in illegal betting, mostly recently during the Quidditch World Cup and the Triwizard Tournament," she summarized. Harry pointed at the last paragraph of the lengthy article.

"So he lost a bet with a couple of Goblins and tried to run off. I'm guessing that there's a very big problem with that?" Harry asked tentatively. Daphne nodded.

"The goblins consider themselves neutral in most wizarding matters, only dealing with matters related to metallurgy or coinage. Because there are so many of them, coupled with their extreme proficiency in craftsmanship and metalwork, goblins worldwide are sometimes referred to as being part of a very scattered 'nation' of sorts, with ruler and everything. They even occupy a few mountains in North America as a part of said nation." Daphne explained. Harry nodded, having heard some of this from Professor Binns (when he was awake) over the years.

"So Bagman trying to run from the goblins…"

"… could have resulted in an international incident, yes. Had he been dealing with a more influential group of goblins rather than common folk, the goblins may have yet again rebelled."

Daphne's words were daunting and Harry nodded grimly in understanding. The pair had made it to the other side of the black lake amidst their walk and were heading to the outskirts of the Forbidden Forest, each thinking about what the consequences of Bagman's actions could have wrought on wizardkind. It was lucky that the man had been caught before he escaped.

A rustling in the bushes startled both Harry and Daphne, the former of whom quickly drew his wand. A large black dog walked out and barked loudly. Harry blinked, easily recognising the hound by its pitch-black coat.

"Sir – Snuffles?!" he asked with some shock. The dog barked happily. Harry took a glance at the girl next to him, who peered inquisitively at the dog. A thought hit him suddenly and horror began to dawn on his face.

"I never knew you had a pet dog at Hogwarts," she commented offhandedly. Harry didn't fall for her feigned ignorance and gave her a look but didn't speak. Nobody moved for a few seconds as Daphne and Harry waited to see who would break first and begin speaking. That is, until another voice entered the vicinity.

"Sirius, change back, we both know that no-one else is around and you want to anyways." Harry and Daphne jumped back as they saw the well-worn but unquestionably happy expression of Remus Lupin enter their view. Sirius barked and walked back into the dark forest. Harry quickly followed his godfather and old teacher while Daphne looked momentarily surprised but still followed along as well. The four walked a short distance before Sirius sat down on the side of a thin tree.

"Harry! Good to see you again!" Harry smiled widely.

"Sirius!"

Harry grinned warmly at the wild man. Sirius looked far better than Harry had last remembered him. An innate vitality encompassed the man's whole being unlike the pale, gaunt look that Harry had last seen him with over a year previously right before Sirius escaped on Buckbeak. Harry turned to his old professor. Remus Lupin looked well, probably because the moon was approaching its 'new moon' phase.

"Good to see you too, Professor Lupin, thanks for all the help you gave me." Lupin smiled.

"Call me Remus, like how you call Sirius. Calling me 'Professor Lupin' makes me feel old. Sirius laughed at this, much to Remus's apparent annoyance. Harry smiled at the interaction between the old friends until they heard a cough from behind them.

"Pardon me," Daphne said with a hint of crossness, "But may I ask why you have summoned me here?" Sirius blinked.

"Do you know who I am?" he asked somewhat tentatively. Harry looked at his godfather and felt dread beginning to mount. It seemed clear that this was Daphne's and Sirius's first meeting (why wouldn't it be?). From Sirius's expression, it seemed as though he had forgotten something extremely important. Harry glanced at Remus, who strangely seemed unconcerned but remained quiet. The silence was broken by Daphne's snort.

"Sirius Orion of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black, third of his name. Son of Orion Arcturus, fourth of his name and Walburga, Black. Former best friend of the late James Potter and godfather of his son Harry. Wanted for allegedly murdering twelve muggles when confronted by his former friend Peter Pettigrew, the latter of whom is also supposedly dead. Need I go on?" she said. Sirius blinked.

"That is the most comprehensive introduction I have ever been given…" he admitted with some surprise. Daphne smiled at the praise. Remus spoke up.

"Ms. Greengrass, I happened to notice that your speech included the words 'alleged' and 'supposedly' when referring to the crimes that Sirius is supposed to have committed. Why is that?" The question was asked as though a teacher was trying to get more out of a student's work, quite fitting, for the situation. Daphne answered swiftly, playing along with the old Professor's 'game'.

"Why of course, Professor. From my mother's interactions with Sirius Black over their mutual seven years at Hogwarts, it was clear to her that Black would never betray a person that he considered a brother, let alone join the forces that he so ardently opposed. Given his actions during the ATT raid, as well as the Modern British Wizarding war, it stands to reason that his motivations should not have changed so drastically." Daphne took a breath before finishing.

"Lastly, given the events that occurred last year, since Harry here is so welcoming of Sirius, it is apparent to me that he is not only very aware of the allegations against Black but also knows the truth of what really happened." Sirius and Harry blinked almost synchronically, much to Remus's amusement.

"Excellent deduction, Ms. Greengrass. Were I still a professor and if the house cup were still ongoing, I would have awarded you fifteen points." Daphne smirked at the praise.

"Damn, you were right, she is really smart…" commented Sirius with a level of amazement as he turned to Remus. "I owe you two galleons." Harry too was surprised at how much Daphne seemed to know about his godfather.

"So you don't think he's a mass murderer?" Harry asked softly. Daphne turned to him.

"I do not claim to know the full extent of his deeds but am quite certain that he was not the one who murdered those twelve muggles and Peter Pettigrew on the first of November, 1981. The situation does seem quite suspicious…" Harry couldn't help but smile as Daphne turned back to the two men.

"As interesting as the revelations may be, may I ask why you summoned us here?" Daphne asked with a level of formality. Sirius grinned in his wolfish manner.

"First of all. Congratulations for completing the tournament, Harry!" he said, patting his godson on the back. Remus mildly clapped before he spoke.

"Congratulations are due, Harry, but you have a lot to learn if you wanted to win. You were lucky many times, even if I only counted the encounters you had in the maze." Harry rubbed his head awkwardly as he remembered how his various encounters had went and particularly how he had been tricked due to lack of knowledge.

"I assume you have been helping him?" Remus asked Daphne, who nodded. "Thank you, Harry probably wouldn't have been able to survive if he hadn't had your assistance." Daphne shook her head.

"While I thank you for your praise, Potter would still have had the assistance of Weasley and Granger. While unlikely to be as effective, Potter would still have come out of the tournament alive." Sirius and Remus shared a smirk.

"Potter, you say? Shouldn't you be calling your boyfriend by something more friendly?"

Harry and Daphne froze, a look of horror etched on her face. However, it was quickly broken by Sirius's roaring laughter.

"Oh relax," he said between breaths of air, "It's not like we can't tell. I'm honestly more surprised that no-one else has mentioned it." Harry blushed slightly at being so easily found out and Daphne visibly wilted.

"Actually, I'd be able to answer that," Remus offered. "In class and around school, Ms. Greengrass here acts much more like our old classmate Kirsten rather than her mother used to. Hence, most students stayed away from her. The more astute of students may have noticed something suspicious but most likely either didn't bother with exposing it or had other motives for keeping their silence." Harry looked surprised and turned to Daphne, who had turned pink from getting her actions analysed by her former professor. Sirius 'oh'ed in response. Daphne looked somewhat impatient and Remus nudged Sirius, causing the shaggy haired man to sit up slightly straighter and cough.

"Oh, I almost forgot," Sirius said, much to the deadpan of Remus, "I'm working on something behind the scenes. With luck, I might be a free man by the end of the summer. Make sure to read the Daily Prophet as much as you can." Sirius said with smile. Harry's eyes grew as wide as saucers.

"Really?" he said breathlessly. The memory of an unspoken promise entered Harry's mind. "Will I be able to live with you?" The grin on Sirius's face answered his question and Harry jumped to cloud nine. Daphne noticed his expression and frowned without commenting. Remus coughed, returning the group's focus to himself.

"We should get going by now. Harry, Ms. Greengrass, I hope to see you two soon." Sirius grumbled but nodded.

"Make sure your relatives treat you alright," Sirius said "and remember to write!" Harry nodded.

"Where're you two going?" he asked. Sirius looked and Remus, who shrugged.

"I'm still hunting for a new job since my last one was … cut short by Severus," he replied. Harry looked quite furious but didn't say anything and Remus continued. "It's a little difficult, particularly because of that bitch..."

A moment later, Remus looked horrified as he realized what he had just said in the presence of children.

Sirius laughed.

"He means Umbridge." Harry still had no idea what was going on.

"Who," he asked. Daphne decided to answer in place of the giggling Sirius and horrified Remus.

"Remember that pink robed witch that was with Fudge? The one who gave you a dirty look? That would be Dolores Umbridge, Senior Undersecretary to the Minister of Magic." Remus looked rather offended at the continued mention of Umbridge which caused Daphne to quickly stop.

"Good luck to you, Professor Lupin," she said with a small curtsey. Remus's frown turned to a smile and offered a bow before gesturing for Sirius to do the same, much to the latter's chagrin. However, Sirius still complied, albeit a lot stiffer than Remus's bow had been.

"I'll write soon!" Harry said. Sirius gave his godson a thumbs up and a wave before he and Remus left the area, leaving Daphne and Harry alone in the clearing. The two began their walk back onto the school's grounds

"Well that could be useful," Daphne said after a while. Harry looked at her confusedly.

"What?" Daphne sighed.

"Harry, you know that your godfather is the last remaining member of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black, right?" Harry nodded as the realization dawned on him.

"So if Sirius becomes free, he will become the Lord of House Black?" Harry asked. Daphne nodded affirmatively.

"That's not all," she said. "With Sirius taking the title of Lord Black, that would mean that Draco, the original heir presumptive, would lose a great deal of his future political power. In effect, Sirius's ascension would mean an immense political ally for you and the decline of a major rival as well." Although Harry still didn't know much about politics, the little he gleaned from what Daphne said made his eyes widen. Daphne smirked.

"Come now, we need to head back or we'll miss the train." Harry nodded gently, still awestruck, as he followed the blonde back into the castle.

* * *

 _Location: Hogwarts Express_

Daphne sat down in an empty compartment inside the express. Tracey still wasn't ready when Daphne had returned to the common room and hence why the blonde had decided to go down earlier and pick out a carriage. Harry would be joining her at some point during the trip, though she had left it up to him to decide when they would be sitting together.

Daphne glanced out of the window, reminiscing about the past year as a whole. In the span of a few short months, her life had been turned upside down simply because she had met with a boy. True, the boy was one unlike any other but it only went to show how easily somethings could change. In the middle of this thought, Daphne heard a knock on her carriage door.

"Come in," she said. To her surprise, rather than Tracey, Astoria or even Harry walking into the compartment, Pansy Parkinson walked in instead.

"Good Afternoon, scion Parkinson. To what do I owe the pleasure of your presence?" Daphne said formally, trying to hide the sarcasm that she wished to express. Pansy either didn't notice or ignored the thinly-veiled snideness in Daphne's words.

"Let me get to the point," Pansy said swiftly, though not in a rushed manner. "Join me and Draco and we can bring Slytherin House to greater heights." Daphne raised an eyebrow.

"Why the rush? Surely, a person with your _resources_ can afford to be patient in these matters," Daphne replied with a toss of her hair. Pansy frowned and stared intently at her blonde housemate for a few moments.

"Are you going to give me an answer or not?" she asked irritably.

"Let's say I join you," Daphne replied. "What then?" Pansy frowned.

"Why would I reveal anything to a person who could likely become my adversary?" Pansy asked. Daphne inwardly frowned. As idiotic as the girl acted in front of Draco, Pansy was not an actual fool.

"In the same path of thinking, why would I ally myself with a person so distrusting of me?" Daphne countered. "I will only accept a proposal of which I am on equal standing with yourself." Pansy glared at Daphne but the blonde remained unfazed. Pansy seemed to growl.

"Why, Greengrass?" she said angrily, "I know you hate the mudblood Granger as much as I do. If you join me, I will personally allow you to deal with her." Daphne looked surprised.

"While an interesting proposal, I am afraid I still must decline. After all, Granger is one of my _boyfriend's_ close friends. It would be in bad form for me to harm her, especially after I had given an oath to make amends." It was Pansy's turn to look surprised but she scoffed a moment later.

"Please, Greengrass, there is no-one else around. Feel free to check if it pleases you. We both know that your _relationship_ with Potter is a farce and no more." Daphne had to control herself to stop her eyes from narrowing.

"How can you be so certain?" she asked neutrally. Pansy actually began to laugh.

"Potter is a blood traitorous fool! A person of your standing would never willingly involve herself with him!" Daphne kept her face neutral as Pansy's laughter broke into her speech before she continued. "If it weren't for your or Davis's intervention, I bet that Potter wouldn't have survived the dragon, let alone the rest of the tournament!" Daphne's eyes narrowed.

"I will have you know," she began quietly. Pansy's laughter stopped and she looked at Daphne with surprise, "that Potter is fully capable on his own. I merely provided a few instructions and pointers. He did the rest of the work." Daphne was surprised at how irritated Pansy's words had made her, though she let that thought slide as she stared fiercely back at the black-haired witch.

"Am I to take that as your final response?" Pansy asked in an equally quiet voice. Daphne didn't verbally answer, though her expression seemed to be enough of a response for Pansy. The pug faced girl sighed and stood up.

"I really hoped that I could make you see reason," she said with supposed sadness, "I mean, you have done some very questionable things over the years, befriending a half-blood over a group of purebloods, not educating your sister on conduct and boundaries… but allying with one of the greatest blood traitors of our time? That is a new level of idiocy, Greengrass." Daphne began to bristle with rage but kept herself from bursting out with anger.

"Potter is too an heir to a Noble and Ancient House as well as an influential seat on the Wizengamot when he becomes of age. If anything, mere pragmatism would dictate that I ally myself with him." Pansy snorted.

"Have you forgotten that Draco will inherit the entirety of House Black upon his coming of age? His political power is far greater than Potter's ever will be." Daphne paused for a fraction of a second, barely keeping herself from smirking.

"Will that be all from you? I still have a question I would like to ask." Pansy glared for a moment before shrugging gently.

"As a token of _mercy_ , I will grant your request. I assume you wish to know why we are acting so quickly?" Daphne wasn't surprised that Pansy had accurately predicted what she was going to ask and nodded. Pansy smirked.

"The marks of the Dark Lord have grown stronger this year. Though they have stagnated these past few months, it is only a short time before he rises once more. I have been instructed to unify our house in advance in preparation for the lord's return. Perhaps you will see reason when he returns." Pansy cackled as she began to walk out the door. However, before she opened the door, a thought seemed to hit her.

"I'm feeling generous today and I will give you one more tip. Keep an eye on those you call friend, Greengrass, they may not be who they seem." Daphne gave the black-harried girl a questioning glance which was ignored as Pansy quickly exited the compartment.

After waiting a moment, Daphne's eyes narrowed. What did she mean? The Dark Lord was returning soon? Daphne's thoughts were a mess, so much so that she didn't notice the knocking on the door to the compartment.

"Come in," Daphne called as soon as she perceived the noise. Tracey walked in with a worried look on her face.

"Daph, why did I see Parkinson walk out of here?" she asked with some urgency. Daphne ignored her and instead decided to look out the window. Tracey's look turned to one of irritation.

"By the way, I bumped into the boys when I was coming here, they'll be joining us soon," she supplied. Daphne nodded but continued looking out the window.

If she was right, this coming year would be very troublesome for her, both academically and socially. War was looming on the horizon and for once, Daphne was unsure of how to deal with the oncoming threats.

* * *

It was right after lunch when Harry and Ron decided to join Daphne and Tracey. By then, Astoria had already come and gone once. As per usual, Theo had decided to take up a seat inside Daphne and Tracey's compartment for the middle part of the journey before he would be taking off again to Merlin knows where.

"Come in," came Daphne's voice as she heard Harry knocking on the door. The boys quickly walked in, shutting the door behind them as they entered.

"'Lo," Harry and Ron said.

"Greetings to you too."

"Hey guys!"

Harry and Ron simply took the seats opposite the girls, with Harry taking the seat next to Theo and thus opposite Daphne. The male Slytherin smirked.

"Well, it appears that it is time for me to take my leave. Until later, Tracey, Daphne."

The girls seemed unsurprised by Theo's quick exit, bidding him farewell as though they had expected this to happen. Seeing the girls' expressions, Harry and Ron shrugged at each other.

"What was that about?" Ron asked as he pulled out a half-eaten bag of Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans. "Bean?" he offered. Predictably, Daphne declined while Tracey accepted the confectionary.

"What do you mean?" Tracey said as she tasted the brown colored bean "Ooh! Éclair!" Daphne shook her head and turned to the redhead.

"Theodore is able to read situations effectively and will thus vacate if he feels it is necessary," Daphne explained. "He is a shrewd person, probably why he gets along with Roper so easily." Harry looked curious.

"I thought Nott barely interacted with anyone?" he admitted. "I mean, he seems to be on his own during classes and stuff." Daphne sighed and pinched her brow as she had somewhat expected him to say this. Seeing her exasperation, Tracey spoke instead.

"Oh come on Daph, it's a good thing that the boys haven't noticed anything wrong," she reminded, ignoring Daphne's muttering about perceptiveness. Turning back to her befuddled friends, she gave them a long look. It didn't feel intrusive or at all to the boys, rather a sense of uncertainty washed over them from Tracey before the girl looked back at her best friend. Daphne gave Tracey a nod and Tracey's expression grew resolute.

"Fine, then. Don't come to me if it comes back to bite you," Tracey warned. Harry and Ron simply grew more curious (and confused) at the exchange. It was rare for them to ever see Daphne and Tracey disagree on something so major, and even more so that Tracey was the unsure one while Daphne was the instigator.

"Um… what are you talking about?" Harry asked. Daphne gave him a lofty look. She quickly drew her wand and muttered a spell. A white flash emitted on the tip of her wand and hit the door of the compartment. The door began to glow gently in a silvery-blue hue. Daphne smirked, apparently not too surprised. She turned back to Harry and Ron.

"What we are going to speak to you about is not to be repeated to any other person, your parents and guardians included. Don't worry, it's nothing too severe, just quite possibly one of the most important attributes of Slytherin House." Harry and Ron blinked a few times before looking at one another.

"Why are you telling us this then? If it's so important?" Harry asked. Daphne's face looked grim.

"Because it's likely that the 'front' that we have been maintaining will be broken in the coming year, whether we like it or not." Harry and Ron looked confused, causing Daphne to sigh. Tracey picked up where Daphne had stopped.

"Alright guys. Think about how we Slytherins generally act towards the rest of the school. We aren't exactly sociable with you guys are we?" Harry and Ron nodded. The three previous years easily came into view, most of the Slytherin related memories either related to Malfoy and his gang or Professor Snape's potions classes. Tracey waited a few moments.

"So, who would likely come to mind when Slytherin House was mentioned?" An image of the blonde ponce smirking quickly came to both of Harry and Ron's minds.

"Malfoy," they both stated. Tracey nodded.

"So, if someone were to ask you, 'Are all Slytherins like Malfoy', what do you think the common response would be?" Harry and Ron thought for a moment and began to turn red. They had, like many others before them, commonly assumed that all Slytherins acted the same. Ron particularly recalled an incident almost exactly one year ago where his pigeonholing had caused him quite a bit of trouble… Tracey almost laughed when she saw her friends' expressions.

"Don't worry guys, it's alright. If anything, it proves that we have been doing a good job," she quickly said, pacifying her friends. Daphne frowned at convoluted a path Tracey was taking to bring the topic to Harry and Ron and decided to intervene.

"Building on what Tracey said, Potter, have you noticed that during the first term of this year I rarely ever interacted with you in class?" Harry nodded. It had been quite an embarrassing experience for Harry, who had tried to talk to Daphne before a potions session at the start of the year, only to be swiftly (and coldly) asked to not speak to her. Daphne had not given a response about this during their session that night and Harry had soon forgotten about it.

"But Tracey had talked to me during that time," rebutted Ron, who remembered the girl's very helpful Potioning advice. Tracey smiled.

"I have a bit more leeway, given my blood status than say Daphne here, who is not only a pure-blood but also the heiress to House Greengrass." Harry and Ron still looked quite confused, causing a sigh from Daphne. Tracey chuckled and continued.

"So guys, if you were asked "Does Daphne Greengrass hate Pansy Parkinson," how would you answer that question." Ron and Harry quickly shook their heads and Tracey's chuckling returned. Daphne let a bit of anger seep into her usually composed face.

"What if I told you that I hate that bitch and would be glad to see her suffer the horrors of the Tartarus," Daphne said succinctly. Harry and Ron looked shocked.

"But you… seem to get along… what?" Ron stammered semi-coherently. Tracey sadly smiled.

"Yep, that's true, 'cept for the suffering the horrors of Tartarus thing, though mainly because that's only a legend," she added. "It's for the same reason why Theo seems to not interact much with anyone, or why most people associate our house with just Malfoy or people like him." Harry began to look concerned.

"Explain." Tracey smiled wryly but Daphne spoke first.

"Potter, what are the traits of Slytherin?" she asked in an authoritative tone. Harry blinked but quickly recited what Daphne had asked of him.

"Resourcefulness, Cunning, Ambition, Self-Preservation and Fraternity," he said rapidly. Tracey and Ron looked mildly impressed as Daphne nodded.

"That last one, fraternity, is probably the single greatest weakness and strength of the house as a whole," Daphne muttered irritatedly. Harry looked curiously as Tracey took a deep breath. It was clear that she particularly wanted to be talking about this but was going along with what her friend had decided.

"Basically, us Slytherins are told to stick with one another and form a united front against the rest of the school. Any and all internal quarrels are to be settled within so as to maintain the image of 'one large family'." Harry and Ron nodded, understanding what the chestnut-haired girl was telling them. The weight of their words were beginning to dawn on them, a reaction that was noticed by both girls.

"So now that we've said that," Daphne said, redirecting their focus onto her, "That should clarify a few matters. For instance, Theodore's seeming solitude when in class and otherwise is not completely true. As I said, he interacts with Sophie Roper … who you two probably don't know." Harry nodded but Ron shook his head.

"Wasn't Roper the girl who…" he said towards Tracey. The brown-haired girl nodded quickly and Ron quickly stopped speaking. Harry and Daphne were slightly curious as to what he was referring to but ultimately decided to not pursue that line of thought.

"Why doesn't Nott talk to say, Malfoy then?" Harry asked curiously. "Aren't they both heirs or something?" Daphne had a briefly surprised look on her face as she answered.

"Theodore doesn't particularly like Malfoy even though their fathers are thick as thieves. As far as I know, their relationship is civil but not friendly." Harry nodded in understanding as Daphne continued.

"How about Crabbe and Goyle then?"

"Their relationships with Malfoy are a bit more complicated," Daphne admitted, taking a moment to think about how best to explain the situation. "All you need to know is that House Crabbe and the Goyle Family are essentially allied with House Malfoy." The boys nodded and Daphne continued.

"Anyways, the important thing to take from this is what comes next. It is quite obvious that House Malfoy is very influential despite its less than noble origins. To curry favour with the dominant power, the majority of Slytherin House has essentially allowed Draco to present himself as the leader of the house, a farce I believe that many people, you two included, have believed." A moment of silence passed as Ron and Harry processed the information.

"He isn't?!" Ron exclaimed. Tracey giggled.

"Ron, do you really think that the pragmatic Slytherin house would actually let a currently fourth-year student to be its actual leader? Draco's views just align with the leaders' views so they let him run amok as he pleases." Tracey's expression changed as she continued, turning from pleasant to grim. "But… that might be changing very soon."

"Dorcas Selwyn and Darius Nott are graduating this year, leaving somewhat a power vacuum in the leadership of Slytherin house. Since the rising sixth and seventh years don't have close to as much influence as say Malfoy, he might quickly take up reign when school resumes in September" Daphne supplied. A lightbulb seemed to go off in Harry's head.

"So when you said that you would be taking control of Slytherin house, you meant now?" Harry asked. Daphne nodded.

"I won't bore you with the details. Basically, I am probably the only person who has a good enough amount of clout and influence to prevent Malfoy from destroying the house from his own hubris. You already know how headstrong he can be…" Harry and Ron were quick to agree.

"So what do we have to do?" Harry asked, taking a bean from Ron's open bag. Daphne shook her head.

"At the moment, nothing. Our _relationship_ does give me a bit more influence so as much as it … irks both of us, it has its merits," Daphne said. Tracey picked up on Daphne's faltering but kept quiet as her best friend's expression changed slightly.

"Daphne, are you alright?" Harry asked concernedly. Tracey was surprised.

 _"Harry noticed?"_

The blonde quickly nodded her head but refrained from looking up and instead turned to the door. It seemed that there were two people outside, one of them furiously knocking on their locked door while the other stood next to her companion.

"Ginny?" Ron spluttered. Tracey took a closer look at the furiously pounding girl. It took a bit more time but she was able to recognize the signature red hair on the girl's head, coupled with peculiarly pretty looks.

"Come in!" Daphne said after she had unlocked the door. The door slammed open and Ginny Weasley stormed into the compartment. Tracey noticed that the girl was trying her best not to glare at Daphne and quickly made the connection.

"Um… Gin? What're you doing here?" Ron asked before he noticed the other girl who had walked in. This girl seemed to be the exact opposite of Ginny, with fair hair and a very carefree expression on her face. It almost seemed as though she had simply wandered in from Morgana knew where and stayed for no reason other than because she had nothing to do. Coupled with her extremely strange fashion choices and aura of seeming unawareness, it seemed odd to Tracey why this person had come in.

"Oh, hey Loon – I mean Luna."

Tracey made a 'o' shape with her mouth. So this was the (in)famous Luna Lovegood, the supposed lunatic Ravenclaw in the year below theirs. Tracey had never met her before but simply took it in stride.

"I'm just here to say hi to Harry. I met Luna on the way and decided that she might want to see him too," Ginny explained. Luna seemed to have a confused expression on her face for a brief moment before it vanished, replaced by the dreamy look that she had on. However, that was enough to arose both Tracey and Daphne's suspicions.

"Nice to meet you, Luna," Harry said unsurely, extending his hand out as a form of greeting. Luna took it.

"You're Harry Potter," she said in an almost ephemeral voice.

"I know I am," he responded, not sure if that was meant as a joke or not. Ginny nudged her friend.

"So? What do you think?" Luna paused in her movements and made a face of deep concentration.

"There are no wrackspurts around," she said softly. A few moments passed without her saying anything. Tracey briefly wondered if the girl was pulling their leg but that thought was paused as Luna seemed to jump back in shock.

"Ina, Ani. They are upon you." While her tone was as dreamy as before, Luna's expression told a different tale. She seemed shocked, or at least very surprised at what she had 'seen'. Tracey didn't know how to make heads or tails from the strange development as the girl promptly walked out the door.

"Goodbye, Harry Potter, and good luck. May we find you again." With those parting words, Luna Lovegood left the compartment, much to the surprise of all.

"Well that was…" Harry said, not sure if he should laugh or not. Ginny seemed stunned for a moment but quickly recovered, her expression returning to being irritated at Daphne's mere presence. Harry seemed to pick up on it.

"Is something wrong, Ginny?" he asked. The girl made an 'eep' sound as she jumped in surprise.

"Harry! I was just… I mean…" she stammered. Tracey would have almost considered it cute if the girl hadn't been glaring at her best friend for most of her stay here.

"Do you have a problem with me?" Daphne asked as non-confrontationally as she could muster. Ginny however ignored the blonde's words and continued to look between Harry and Daphne, frustration building in her eyes. After a while she gave a despairing look to Harry.

"What do you see in her?" she all but wailed. Harry was speechless and his face began turning a color close matching her and Ron's hair. Ron himself was trying to contain his laughter but failing spectacularly as intermittent chuckles broke through his muffled mouth.

"I… um… what?" came Harry's eloquent reply. Daphne decided to intervene.

"Do you have a problem with Harry dating a Slytherin?" she asked sweetly. Ginny jumped back as though she had been burned by something.

"NO … I mean… not all Slytherins are bad…" Ginny stammered. Tracey knew what the redheaded girl was trying to do. Snark out Daphne while appeasing Harry. Unfortunately, she picked the wrong girl to mess with.

"Really, then name one." Daphne challenged. Tracey almost laughed out loud at her friend's words. It was quite rare to see Daphne use such a tactic, though given that she regularly had verbal spars with other Slytherins, that much was to be expected. Ginny seemed to get very red as she tried to answer.

"There's that one boy from your year," she said. "Tall, dark skinned… he was nice…" Ginny babbled before quickly snapping back into reality, blushing heavily as she remembered her company. However, she was not the only one to have a large reaction to what she said.

"Ginny, was it?" Daphne asked quietly. The girl looked at her, still quite red from her accidental outburst. Daphne looked at her and stood up. While Ginny was of a respectable height for her age, Daphne's additional year made her seem much larger than the redhead.

"Yes?" Ginny said, trying to sound more intimidating that she felt as she looked at the cold glare that Daphne had on.

"I urge you to stay away from Blaise Zabini at all costs. That _man_ is far more dangerous than you can imagine." Ginny looked surprised and slightly offended.

"What? Why should I?" she demanded. Daphne's withering glare continued.

"Don't say I didn't warn you," Daphne reiterated. Ginny ignored her.

"It was nice seeing you, Harry," Ginny quickly said as she began walking out of the compartment. "See you later." Harry and Ron gave her half-hearted waves as she quickly fled the scene. A few moments passed without anyone saying a word.

"So…" Harry said cautiously. Daphne and Tracey quickly looked up, their heads mobbing so fast that he almost wondered how they didn't break from the sheer speed.

"What?" replied an uncharacteristically grim looking Tracey. Harry took one look at her and frowned.

"I haven't interacted much with Zabini, is he that bad?" Harry asked. Daphne didn't answer him and instead just looked out at the window. Unconsciously, she began leaking an incredibly icy aura which everyone was beginning to feel. Tracey had an equally intense sorrow on her face as she answered.

"Please …" Tracey pleaded. Harry and Ron wisely complied and decided to follow Daphne's lead and looked out the window instead, their original topic forgotten.

* * *

 _Location: Platform Nine and Three Quarters_

Daphne heaved her baggage out of the Hogwarts Express with the Harry's help and quickly uttered her thanks to him as she moved out of the way to allow Ron and Tracey to leave the carriage. The rest of the train ride went by in a mundane fashion, as it usually would after a certain while. However, in a way, Daphne was glad that nothing else happened on the journey as it meant that she had some peace and quiet to think.

The four were quickly joined by Astoria, who had just bid farewell to one of her friends that Daphne couldn't recognise and they soon walked their way through one of the pillar portals back to the muggle platforms of nine and ten. A larger group than expected met the quintet, formed by both Daphne and Tracey's parents, a woman that she assumed to be Weasley's mother and a rather rotund man wearing a muggle suit with a badge, who was looking very out of place.

Weasley's mother quickly walked forward and hugged Potter, whispering something into his ear. Apparently, Potter was somewhat displeased with at least part of what he had been told as he recoiled slightly, much to Mrs. Weasley's surprise. Daphne turned back to her parents, where Astoria had already latched onto their mother like a child. Daphne frowned slightly at her sister's childish act but didn't say anything.

"Daphne, welcome back," her father said with a hint of emotion.

"Father, it is good to see you again," she responded in kind.

Unfortunately, Daphne's mother overheard the greetings and glared at the father-daughter pair. Daphne blinked as she watched her father appear to ignore her mother and walk over to Potter, who had just said farewell to the disappearing Weasley family. She of course noticed the brief glare that the Weasley girl sent her before they teleported back to their home.

"Mr. Potter, we meet again," he greeted in a brisk manner. Daphne was surprised. Neither Potter nor her father had mentioned to her that they had ever met. Potter seemed surprised that Daphne's father was addressing him given by his facial expression. The man beside him muttered something to Potter and the boy now began to panic.

"Sorry, Lord Greengrass but my uncle appears to have an urgent appointment after picking me up. Er… can we speak at a later time?" Daphne was mildly surprised at how Potter's speech had changed from usual. Her father smiled.

"Of course, Mr. Potter. I simply wished to ask for your address. I'm sure that Daphne and you wish to meet over the holiday." Potter seemed to be slightly surprised, as was his uncle, though in a much different manner.

"Listen here, mister," he said angrily. "I already had some of you lot trespass on my house last year and I won't have it again!" Daphne was astonished at how rude this man spoke to her father. No-one, not even his greatest rivals from back in the day, or even his most hated enemies would speak in such a manner to the Lord of a Noble and Ancient House. However, what was far more surprising was the fact that her father had _not_ immediately cursed the man for addressing him in such an uncouth manner.

"Excuse me, sir," her father said in a formal tone that lacked its usual coldness. "I simply wished for my daughter to be able to see her _boyfriend_ over the holiday. I assure you that it will not be something that occurs frequently."

Potter's uncle veiled his expression, though there was an air of surprise that he also masked as he seemed to think deeply for a few moments.

"She can meet the boy at that park near our house, don't need to come in do they?" he replied. Her father's expression did not falter, though it was clear that he didn't appreciate the response.

"Very well then," her father said. By now, even Potter seemed to catch on that something was strange and looked to Daphne for an explanation. She responded by imitating the action of writing, which he seemed to understand. Potter's uncle then all but grabbed him by the scruff of his neck and began to leave. Daphne was surprised at the action and almost took action but stayed herself as she watched Potter being dragged away. She bit her lip and wondered what she would do next.

* * *

 _Date: Saturday, July 7_ _th_ _1995_

 _Location: Greengrass Manor Front Garden_

"You're late!" exclaimed a slightly impatient Tracey, who had been idly looking at the flowers in the garden. Daphne responded by tossing her hair back.

"I'm not, you're just early," she retorted, casting the time charm and proving herself right. Tracey grumbled but quickly turned and joined Daphne as they began to walk towards the manor's exit.

Greengrass Manor was located on the outskirts of Sunbury, within walking distance from Tracey's home. Though the manor proper was shielded from muggle eyes, the various experiments that Genevieve Greengrass would perform caused enough 'strange' occurrences around the area that made muggles prefer to stay away from what they perceived as an abandoned ruin.

Daphne and Tracey had walked a few steps beyond the magical-perception barrier (MPB) before the latter spoke again.

"Couldn't you have just gotten one of our mother's to apparate us to Potter's house?" Tracey complained. Daphne raised an eyebrow.

"Taking the Knight bus is not too bad an experience. Besides, my mother is busy tonight and this isn't anything particularly in need of her concern," Tracey frowned but changed course.

"Why are we visiting so soon anyway? I honestly cannot imagine you actually wanting to see Harry," Tracey said. Daphne cringed slightly, much to Tracey's surprise.

"You make it sound like I despise him…" Daphne muttered. Tracey had the decency to look abashed.

"So, why are we visiting?" Daphne's expression turned withering, much to the surprise of Tracey.

"Potter's uncle, remember that man who was beside the Weasleys at King's Cross? The way he acted… I cannot allow that transgression to go unpunished." Daphne said. Tracey looked at her friend with mild disapproval. She easily remembered the incident about a week and a half ago at the station.

"What do you mean by that?" Tracey asked tentatively. Daphne gave her friend a resolute look.

"I can't say for sure but I think I have figured out why Potter acts as he does," Daphne said determinedly. Tracey blinked in surprise.

"What?" Daphne looked quite irritated.

"Tracey, remember the state of Potter's state of dress before I intervened and told him to buy more clothes?" Tracey nodded, remembering the baggy and usually quite worn outfits that the boy tended to wear.

"Yeah? We agreed that he probably had gotten hand-me-downs, or that his muggle relatives were poor." Then a lightbulb went off in Tracey's head. "Wait a minute… hmm…"

"That look on your face tells me you have a plan," Daphne said. Tracey gave her friend a mischievous glance but said nothing as the pair made it to the 'stop' for the magical Knight Bus.

Seeing nobody around at this time of dusk, Daphne jabbed her wand into the air and waited a few moments. Suddenly, a massive triple-decker bus burst into existence a few blocks from where they had been standing before it drove quite haphazardly to where Daphne and Tracey had been standing. The steel door opened and a rather young man dressed in a purple uniform.

"Welcome to the Knight Bus, emergency transport for –"

"Evening, Shunpike, here are our tickets." Daphne interrupted, not wishing to hear the whole speech again. Stan quickly recognized the heiress and offered a quick bow. Daphne curtseyed back and quickly got on as did Tracey. The bus then quickly took off once more, driving and teleporting its way to the girls' destination.

"Lucky that there's no-one else here," commented Tracey. Daphne nodded as the bus swerved, causing her to almost crash onto the side. She grumbled about safety regulations before she raised her voice.

"Prang! If I or Tracey crash into the side of the bus again, I will get Kirsten Davis to sue you for ignoring safety of your customers!" The bus noticeably slowed after the driver, Ernest Prang looked terrified at Daphne's words. Tracey chuckled slightly.

After a few minutes of less rapid teleporting and driving, the bus arrived on a vacant muggle street in the muggle neighbourhood of Little Whinging. Stan was noticeably less chipper than usual, though given who he was serving, it was only natural for him to feel somewhat uncomfortable. Daphne and Tracey gave the conductor courteous farewells and quickly got off the bus.

"Alright, where to?" Tracey said after stretching slightly. Daphne looked around. Rows upon rows of extremely similar but not completely identical houses were laid in front of her, all of which seemed quite lavish in comparison to what Daphne had been expecting (or rather hoping). It would have been extremely easy for them to have gotten lost in this unfamiliar place, especially without access to magic. Fortunately for them, Daphne had acquired a set of instructions from her father on how exactly to get to Harry's place of residence.

It didn't take long for Daphne and Tracey to walk up to the house labelled _4 Privet Drive_. Much like the other houses on the street, it was quite large, with a chocolate brown tiled roof and cream colored walls. The windows on the side were decorated with a simple pattern and a single torch lit up the porch which overlooked the garden of the house. Daphne and Tracey quickly walked up to the front door and the latter pressed the doorbell. A few moments later, a thin, greying blonde haired woman answered the door. She took a look at the two girls in front of her with surprise.

"Can I help you?" she asked sweetly. Daphne put on a façade.

"Good evening, miss. May I assume that you are Petunia Dursley?" Daphne responded as evenly as she could. Her father's instructions had also contained the names of Harry's uncle and aunt. Petunia seemed surprised.

"Yes, I am …" she said. "May I ask who you are?"

Daphne was about to respond when she heard another voice from inside the house.

"Petunia! Who's at the door?" Daphne's eyes narrowed slightly. She quickly recognized the grating voice of Vernon Dursley.

"I'm not sure, come see, dear." A loud sound could be heard as Vernon stood up and trotted over. The overweight man took one quick look at Daphne and Tracey before his eyes widened dramatically.

"You! How did you find us!" he hissed. Petunia looked worried.

"Do you know these girls, Vernon?" she asked concernedly. Her husband looked dangerously at Daphne and pointed at her.

"That's the girl who I told you about, the one at King's Cross." Apparently, that was all it took for Petunia to drop her friendly pretence and she matched Vernon's expression, though with a little more fear than her husband.

"How did you find us!" he hissed before seemingly coming up with an idea and covering his head. "Did you steal the information from my mind or something?" Petunia shared her husband's concerned look and looked back at Daphne, who was doing her best not to react. For a pair of ignorant fools, they were surprisingly correct in that assumption as Cyril Greengrass had indeed 'stolen' the information from Vernon during their encounter using subtle Legilimency.

"How I found you is unimportant, I merely wished to see Po – Harry," Daphne replied as calmly as she could. "I promise to never bother you again if you can tell me where he is." _"Directly, at least"_ Daphne mentally added. Hopefully, these two would cooperate and she would be able to give him the special parchment that her father had given her. Unfortunately, it seemed that the muggle couple were going to be difficult to convince.

"Why should we believe you?" Vernon all but demanded. "For all we know, you could go to the bank and steal all our things!" Daphne paused at the surprisingly valid concern that had the portly man had pointed out.

"First of all, I have no interest in any of your belongings, most of which would be useless in my world anyway," Daphne replied. Vernon remained angered.

"You lot think the rules don't apply to you don't you," he spoke, raising his voice slightly. "Barging into someone's property like you own the place…" Daphne felt her irritation beginning to mount as she glared back at Vernon.

"Mr. Dursley, I confess that while my presence here may be unannounced, this will never occur again if I am simply able to have a reliable way to contact Harry." However, Vernon didn't seem to see reason.

"And bring some more of your madness into this house?" he demanded, "I'm telling you –"

A cough.

The Dursleys and Daphne turned to look at Tracey who was now pointing at a picture within the household.

"Excuse me, Mr. Dursley, or may I call you director?" Tracey asked quietly. Vernon and Petunia blinked rapidly, completely caught off guard by the girl's words. Seeing as neither of them were going to respond, Tracey continued.

"My name is Tracey, daughter of Harrison and Kirsten Davis … who you probably have never heard of. But, director, you probably know who my grandfather Calem Davis is?" Vernon took a few moments and his eyes widened, clearly recognizing that name.

"Calem Davis … CEO of Davis' Diamonds…" Petunia looked shocked, evidently also recognizing that name. Vernon began to look pensively at the girl.

"How do I know that is true? For all I know, you could easily be lying, or …" Tracey simply reached behind her neck and took off a diamond choker that she had been wearing and showed it to Vernon.

"This is the present my grandparents gave me for Christmas. A little over-the-top but it's something I treasure," Tracey said softly. Vernon gingerly looked at it and back to Tracey.

"Can I touch it?" he asked, far less gruff than he had been with Daphne. Tracey nodded gently, and allowed the man to feel the gemstone on the choker. Apparently, the man had noticed something else on the gemstone and looked back at Tracey.

"This… is genuine…" Vernon said after a while. Tracey smiled. Daphne was unsure of what was going on and simply opted to remain silent as her best friend put on the accessory again.

"That doesn't prove anything," Petunia insisted. However, Vernon surprisingly denied it.

"That stone has the mark of the Davis's. Not just the company's one but one that Davis himself has marked to keep for himself," he mused for a moment before looking back at Tracey.

"I didn't know that Calem Davis was a fre – wizard like you lot," he said, quickly correcting himself. Daphne wanted to speak up but Tracey answered faster than she could.

"Oh, no," she replied shaking her head. "Grandpa is a non-magical, just like you are." Vernon seemed slightly relieved as Tracey continued.

"I'll ask Grandpa to open up another contract with Grunnings, I'm sure he will agree," she offered. Vernon looked extremely surprised at those words and nodded.

"The boy is at the park, just walk onto Magnolia Road and turn south. You won't miss it," he quickly answered. Tracey smiled widely and took out what appeared to be a large brick from a pouch she had been carrying. Daphne watched as her friend pressed a few buttons on the brick and put it to her head. A few moments later, Tracey started speaking into the brick.

"Hello, Grandpa?" she said. Daphne had learnt that this was a 'telephone', as Tracey had mentioned to her. Apparently, this was her birthday gift that she had no time to use as the device would not work at Hogwarts.

"Yes, I'm in front of Vernon Dursley," Tracey continued. Vernon almost jumped in surprise at being mentioned and straightened himself.

"No, it wasn't too bad because Daph had a map," Tracey said.

"Yes, he was quite courteous." Daphne caught herself before she began to laugh.

"Alright, I'll pass the phone to him," Tracey said before handing the device to Vernon. The round man gingerly took the telephone to his ear.

"Hello, Mr. Davis?" he asked nervously. The look on his face was almost completely opposite of what it had been a while ago.

"Yes, of course!" he said, getting somewhat excited by what was being said.

"Thank you, Mr. Davis! It is an honor to be working with you again!" And with those words, Vernon took the device from his ear and pressed a button before handing it back to Tracey. He bowed awkwardly at her.

"Thank you, Miss Davis. You have helped me greatly." Daphne almost burst out laughing at how ridiculous the man looked and the temptation only greatened when she remembered how the man had been acting before Tracey had spoken up. Clearly, this man had his priorities. Tracey smiled.

"It's a pleasure, Director Dursley. Thank you for telling me where our friend is." Tracey said with a curtsey "Sorry but we cannot stay any longer. Daphne and I both have to return home as quickly as possible." Vernon nodded understandingly.

"Goodnight then," Vernon said quickly.

"Goodnight, Director Dursley," Tracey replied. The door closed on them as Tracey and Daphne began walking away from the house They got a few paces before Daphne couldn't stop herself from speaking out.

"What was that about?" she asked as they turned the corner onto the main street. Night had fallen upon the quaint neighbourhood and an indigo, star-strewn sky could be seen above them.

"Nothing much," Tracey said with a shrug, "Vernon Dursley is the director of Grunnings, a drill-making company. I just got grandpa Calem to give them a contract. Luckily for us, he was already planning on doing something similar anyways so my request coincided with grandpa's wishes." Daphne blinked and had a small smile on her face.

"Never thought you would be playing diplomat," she commented. Tracey smirked.

"In the magical world, you might be very important but in the muggle world, you aren't anyone special. I on the other hand…" she replied back. Daphne smirked as well. The pair continued on the road, admiring how similar the houses that lined even this big road were when they both felt something strange. The night sky seemed to dim considerably, as did the lights from the lamp posts and surrounding houses. A distinct chill wafted through the air, even though it had been blazing hot just a few minutes ago.

"What the…" Tracey breathed as she shivered slightly. Daphne narrowed her eyes. There were very few things on the planet that could do something like this and none of them were good. The ring on Daphne's finger began to glow as the girl quickly picked up her pace.

"Come on Tracey," she said as she began running towards the source of the chill. Tracey gulped and followed her friend. As they approached, a strange, harrowing fog seemed to encompass the area though Daphne didn't seem to care as she continued running. After a little more running, the girls reached an alley where the fog was densest. Peering into the narrow corridor, Daphne's jaw dropped as she visually confirmed what was causing the strange phenomenon.

"Dementors… here?" she breathed questioningly. Two giant wraith-like beings were encircling two people, one of whom Daphne identified easily as Harry. The other boy then decked Harry in the nose, causing him to sail into a wall, yelling something at the other boy.

"What can we do?" Tracey asked worriedly. Daphne bit her lip as she watched a dementor come close to the boy who had just walloped Harry. Infuriatingly, Harry had his concentration on that dementor, rather than the one that was gaining on him. Without a second thought, Daphne whipped out her wand. Not caring about the possible ramifications, she pointed the wand at the non-being.

" **Dodonpa!"**

The bright fulmination struck the dementor, causing it to shriek. The unholy sound permeated through the dark night, sending further chills down Daphne's spine. The being swivelled around on its spot and began to glide towards Daphne. The girl's eyes widened as she saw the dark creature flew towards her.

Daphne took a step back, beginning to feel paralyzed with fear and the cold that was exuded by the terrifying creature. Flashes of the past, indiscriminate memories went through Daphne's mind as the dementor drew near. She was beginning to hear cold, ragged breaths, its putrid and rotting breath. An evil laugh rocked her mind as she remembered a vile grin.

Tracey had probably cried out or something but Daphne couldn't hear. She felt a rush of force from behind her which the dementor appeared to doge out of the way. Daphne could barely perceive anything more than a few feet around her as the dementor's petrifying aura enveloped her. Daphne knew there was only one thing she could do and desperately tried to tËhink of something happy. Anything.

" **Expecto Patronum!"** she said afraidly. Nothing came out.

" **Expecto Patronum!"** she tried again to no avail. Daphne fell back as she watched the dementor glide up towards her. Its hood had been pulled back and Daphne could see it's empty eye sockets and the gaping hole where its mouth should have been. Daphne knew that it would only be a few more moments before –.

" **EXPECTO PATRONUM!"** bellowed a voice from beyond the dementor. A rush of positivity surged through Daphne and she paddled back a few meters. Moments later, a giant silvery-blue horn burst through the dementor as both the horn and dementor jetted away. Daphne had been lying on the floor as the dementor that almost sucked her soul out had been carried away. She looked back at Harry, who gave her a weak grin.

Harry felt incredibly drained as he had already been under the draining effects of the dementors for well over a minute now. Seeing the dementor that had almost killed Daphne had been driven off, he took a breath in relief

"Harry! Behind you!"

Harry turned back as quickly as he could. Just inches from him, the second dementor, the one that had been attacking Dudley was right on top of him. If he had more energy, he would curse his lack of attentiveness. How could he have been so absentminded?

" **Expecto Patronum!"**

He could hear someone shouting, but nothing came. Nothing was here to rescue him, not like how he had saved Dudley, saved Daphne… The dementor was only inches from his face now, he could see into the void that was supposed to make up its mouth. Harry shut his mouth but it was seemingly futile as the monster moved closer and closer towards his lips. Harry tried to struggle but found himself completely frozen. His wand was on the floor; he had probably dropped it in fright when he saw the dementor.

Harry felt the putrid flesh of the dementor grasp his frozen body. It would all be over in one more moment. The scent of its disgusting breath filled his senses as he felt an indescribable sensation overwhelm him. From the distant recesses of his mind, he idly heard a female scream his name as his body hit the floor. He couldn't see or feel anything as he felt his mind being pulled somewhere. Somewhere cold.

" **GLACIUS –"**

" _Who was that?"_ Harry thought as the dragging sensation filled his every sense. Darkness abound his vision as another stray thought entered his head on last time.

" _What do all stories have in common?"_

If Harry had been able to, he would have smirked. How fitting.

" _They end."_

* * *

 _Spells Used/Mentioned:_

 _Tempus – Time Charm_

 _Dodonpa – Pulse Curse_

 _Expecto Patronum – Patronus Charm_

 _Glacius – Freezing Charm_

 _ **To Be Continued…**_

* * *

 _A/N: Well that's it for part 1 of the story! Thanks to everyone reading this and especially those who have submitted reviews for the story, it has helped me a lot, getting feedback. As midterms and other projects are on the horizon, I will probably take a short(ish) hiatus from uploading as I write a bit more so that I can update regularly. Thanks again for reading and see you in:_

 ** _Nexus of Polarity: Awakening_**


	28. Next Installment

Chapter 1 of the next installment: **Nexus of Polarity: Awakening** has been published! I hope you will continue to enjoy my writing!


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